Trigon's Dark Army
by Solor Barnes
Summary: Part 2 of Double Dragon series. Edward and his Raven join Solor and the Circle to repel an invasion of not just Trigon the Terrible, but Dark Dragons in a battle to determine the fate of Solor's universe. Lots of plot twists and turns in this novel sized story. Some chapters have been edited/expanded :)
1. Solor injured, Edward and Raven summoned

**A/N: Hi everyone! King of Emerald and Splinter1 with another crossover story. It is recommended that you read "Double Dragon Trouble" first or some parts of this story will not make much sense. This time, Edward and his Raven have to go visit Solor in his universe. You'll notice a time issue between universes as Solor's universe is still in the Teen Titans TV universe (Season 3 in this timeline) while Edward's universe is after season 5 and disregards "Trouble in Tokyo"**

**This story will have more action than the previous one as the Teen Titans, Edward and Rachael, as well as Sol, the Light of the Circle, face a threat greater than they've ever known…Trigon the Terrible. For readers of Splinter1 series are aware that Edward killed Trigon. Or did he?**

**Disclaimers: Teen Titans/Titans characters are property of DC Comics/Warner Brothers/Cartoon Network. Solor/Sol is owned by King of Emerald and Edward Barnes is owned by Splinter1. Used by mutual permission.**

**Prologue  
[Solor's Universe - After "Brother Blood"]**

_Raven writes…_

_We have problems. Solor was missing for several days and now that we have him back, he's been broken in mind and body. It's bad enough that Sol had to not only intervene, but, we've had to call in my counterpart and that other Dragon from the universe Solor was stuck in when I was possessed to help get through Solor's mental walls. I am worried, though. A dragon's mind could be more dangerous than Nevermore and an injured dragon, well, not even Sol has an idea._

_But, this was the tip of the iceberg. No one knew what horrors would be unleashed later. You see, I am the Portal to allow my father, Trigon, to enter this plane. Will we survive this?  
_

A good amount of time has passed since Solor's little "vacation" in another universe. Needless to say, it was rather eventful.

After Solor's return, the H.I.V.E. Academy started anew, recruiting new young villains to the school. Cyborg opted to infiltrate the school as Stone, and brought the main branch down. And while Solor was of little consequence to Brother Blood, he was helpful in many different aspects.

When Starfire, Solor's girlfriend, found out she was unexpectedly engaged back on Tamaran, the dragon was understandably upset. He went along with her, remaining silent through most of the trip. It was only when he came face to face with Blackfire, the Supreme Ruler of Tamaran, he spoke up. "Kreinyol is mine", was all he said before he challenged the chosen fiancée, the alien known as Glrdsklechhh, to a duel for Starfire's hand. And when the alien refused to fight, seeing the power in his opponent, Blackfire attacked, only to be countered by her sister, who took her down with no problem at all, taking power for a short time, but, after exiling Blackfire, she passed the crown to Galfore. She was rather mad that Solor had come up with this plan and did not tell her, but a quick kiss to the lips quelled the storm, and all was well.

Back home, Raven had become enamored with a being known as Malchior. When Beast Boy had discovered this and told the others, it was Solor who recognized the name, and immediately he put his foot down. He knocked on Raven's door, but called out to Malchior. "You will not taint her!" he cried. "Raven is my friend! And no matter what sweet words you whisper into her ears, I know it is only freedom you want, Dark Wretch!" Malchior, surprised by Solor's exclamation, attempted to trick Raven again into freeing him, but she grew wise to his antics, and placed a seal on the book, keeping him silent forever. She did get some answers from Solor in the end; Solor had heard of stories of Malchior when he was young, as part of a fairy tail back when magic was very prominent in the world. Malchior was well known as the Last Dark Dragon, the very last one that was seen by human eyes. It had been hundreds of years, but everyone knew of the story back in his home.

While that was all he had been able to influence in this universe, Solor still played key parts in different ways. The Beast incident was narrowly avoided, with Solor being able to smell Adonis a mile away. He immediately recognized Beast Boy as despite his appearance, and was able to talk the team into letting the animal go. It was then Adonis attacked, and tried to take Raven away, but Beast Boy was able to fight back. Solor began training the changeling along with Terra, as he needed to learn to tame his more wild side.

And that training came quite in handy during the last brush with Brother Blood. Everyone was able to aid Cyborg as much as possible, so that Brother Blood was quickly captured. It was only then that they noticed something.

Solor had gone missing.

It took a full week, but he did turn up again. Problem was, he didn't seem to react at all when they found him. He flinched at their touch, he whimpered when he was left alone in the dark, and he barely registered that food or drink was brought to him. Raven attempted to enter his mind, but was immediately ejected, with Solor wailing in agony at the attempted breach upon his mind.

It got to the point that Sol had to come and check on him.

Robin was pacing in the ops center, quite worried. Once again, the strongest member of the team was out of commission, and everyone was worried sick. Starfire was the most distraught, as was expected. She constantly tried to talk to Solor, but got barely any response out of him. The only word he kept saying was "why", and she had no idea what it meant. Raven was probably next. She may not be able to show many emotions, but concern was one of them, and the fact that she could not access his mind worried her. Beast Boy, Terra, Cyborg, and Robin, meanwhile, could only watch and wait helplessly at the med bay doors, waiting for Sol to return with a diagnostic. Finally, the elder dragon entered, looking both angry and crestfallen at the same time.

"Whoever did this to my son shall pay dearly", he muttered, before turning to Raven. "His condition has been like this since you found him, correct?"

"Yes", Raven replied. "He doesn't eat, doesn't drink... he only gets up to use the bathroom, and even then, we've found him passed out on the floor after he's finished with his business. Whatever was done to him hurt him on more than just a physical level."

"You are correct about that", Sol replied. He turned to Starfire. "Get that extra communicator, Kreinyol. There's someone I think that can help."

"You mean friend Edward?" she asked, picking up the communicator. "But why?"

The dragon's look said it all, but he voiced it anyway. "Solor wasn't just hurt... he has been raped."

Everyone in the room froze at that word, especially Starfire. Before anyone else could move, she pushed the panic button. "This is Sunfire of Tamaran. I am calling Edward Barnes of the Titans. Please... it is an emergency."

**[Edward's Universe – Edward and Raven's room]  
**

Edward Barnes and and his wife Raven were relaxing in their shared quarters reading some books, Edward was reading some folklore that might have mentioned dragons even in passing while Raven was enjoying her darker poetry. It was pretty early, though. The sun was about an hour from setting and Edward looked at Raven with a smile. Not a day had gone by when he didn't look upon her with a deep love. He looked at her in her leotard, the cape hung up for the time being and leaned over to nuzzle her on the neck, a move she rather enjoyed.

As he did, though, the AI interrupted and said, "Edward, I have an emergency call for you. It's on the communicator from the alternate universe."

"Patch it through, please," Edward said. Cyborg had reverse engineered that communicator to allow the AI to patch calls through.

The screen in their room lit up as well as the microphone to see the other universe's Starfire there.

"What's wrong, Kreinyol?" Edward said, seeing that she was upset.

"It's boyfriend Solor, friend Edward," she said, "He was kidnapped ten days ago and we finally found him. But, something is dreadfully wrong! He has not eaten, nor drank anything in days. Solor doesn't talk or respond to anyone except Sol and myself. Raven cannot enter his mind to see what is wrong, he did the kicking out and she was unable to get much of the information.

"Please, we need your help!"

Before Edward could answer Sol appeared on screen.

"It's bad, Edward," Sol said without preamble, "Solor's been hurt in a way that we never wish on anyone, mortal or dragon. We think he was... well, raped."

"_WHAT?!_" Edward and Raven said at the same time. Edward's eyes went to yellow in concern.

"From what little we've gotten out of him, he said something about Kreinyol then a dark dragoness, but, outside of that, nothing. He barely responds to me and not even that to his girlfriend," Sol replied, "We're thinking that since…"

"No need to ask, my friend," Edward said without hesitation, "Give Raven and I 30 minutes to pack some things and your Raven can open a Tear of Oblivion. Have your Terra come through to guide us over. Will you need the other Titans?"

They saw Sol looking at the other Teen Titans and he shook his head, "Raven is saying that she only needs you and your wife. She feels that maybe Solor would respond to you better and that it will take your Raven to get into Solor's mind. She already tried and was immediately thrown out."

"All right," Rachael said, "We'll have to let Nightwing and the rest of the team know what's happening. Have my counterpart stand by."

"Will do," Sol said, "She heard you anyway."

"Let me see Solor," Edward requested suddenly. The view changed to show Solor in the med bay, non-responsive.

[Get the other Titans, dear,] Edward requested, [They will need to see this.]

Raven nodded and left the room.

"Solor," Edward said, "It's Edward from the other universe. Can you hear me?"

No response at all as the other Titans filed in, surprised that Raven allowed them into her private sanctuary.

"What's going on?" Nightwing asked.

"Mute audio," Edward said to the computer.

"Solor's been attacked," Edward said, "It looks like he's catatonic. Guys, according to his father, Solor was raped."

"_What?!_" the Titans all asked.

"Resume," Edward said.

"Sol, you there?" Edward asked.

"I am," he rumbled.

"What do you know thus far?" Edward asked, "My universe's Titans are here and need to know."

"All we know is that Solor disappeared about 10 days ago and when he was rescued, he was already like this. He refuses to talk to anyone and barely responds to me. He said something about Kreinyol and a dark Dragoness and keeps repeating that."

"Surely your Starfire didn't…" Koriand'r said but was stopped by Solor's reaction to her voice.

"Why?" he asked. It was clear that he was not lucid, though. "You tricked me! How dare you look like Kreinyol?! How dare you take her form, Traitor?! I don't want an egg! I don't..." He fell silent.

Kori collapsed into Nightwing's arms, crying softly.

"That confirms it," Sol said, "If this other dragon lays an egg, it will be an abomination. A mix of Light and Dark dragons, Edward. You're the only true mix of all of us. That's why we think you have all those abilities Solor told me about."

"Nightwing," Edward said, "Rae and I have to go there and help. Their Raven tried and failed. I'm not sure what'll happen, but, I told them that if they ever needed me, to call. But, I think that Rae and I, if we do the same thing that we did to help Terra after her rescue, we might be able to help him heal from the emotional damage enough to convince him that he's safe, loved, and needed."

Nightwing didn't even hesitate, "You and Raven are on Leave of Absence, effective immediately."

By then, Arella and Jericho had returned from their respective trips, so the team wasn't exactly shorthanded.

They were briefed on the visit by Solor and when Edward and Raven mentioned that Solor actually grieved the loss of Slade Wilson, Jericho realized that was why he was suddenly saddened. He had, many months ago, went to his dad's grave and got the closure he needed. He signed that he forgave his dad for everything as he silently cried. Edward and the other Titans were there, in the back. Edward could read the signing, but, out of respect did not relay what was said. But, deep down, Edward also forgave Slade. He had long ago learned that even an enemy deserves forgiveness someday.

"That's the other dragon?" Jericho said aloud. After their stint as kids, when they were returned to their adult bodies, the injury that took his voice did not return, so, he was finally able to vocalize stuff.

"He is my son," Sol growled, misinterpreting the context. Jericho was curious as he really didn't see Solor.

"My apologies, Sol," Edward said quickly, "Jericho was not here when Solor visited us. Please forgive any offense."

"It's all right," Sol said, "I'm more concerned about Solor's health than an unintentional slight."

"Let us get packed," Rachael said, "Time's wasting."

The younger Raven took the communicator and said, "30 minutes, correct?"

"That's fine," Edward said, "See you soon, Raven. I look forward to meeting you folks."

Raven said, "From what Solor says, you guys are just older, more experienced versions of us."

"I missed on being with the team at this point in our Titans history," Edward said, "I'm sure Solor's told you all about us. With me, I didn't mind telling him about myself and my Raven did the same. It won't ruin what I expect to find, though. But, we have to get packed. See you in a bit."

The signal disconnected.

"Scram," Edward said politely to the others in the room, "Rae and I have to pack some stuff, I don't want to be a drain on your younger counterparts."

"Given that you're traveling to their universe," Nightwing said, "I seriously doubt that their Robin will be bothered all that much, especially if you're able to help Solor. We absorbed the cost of their stay and you even fronted their spending money. I'd say you're collecting on any debts."

Edward rolled his eyes as the others left.

He grabbed one of his spare suitcases and threw in a few actual changes of clothing and hygiene items while Raven merely grabbed her toothbrush and some leotards. Luckily, since she had been cleansed of Trigon's evil, and the fact that Edward would never betray her, her uniforms could go between blue/violet and white.

She had also let her hair grow out a little bit. She still disliked really long hair like Starfire's hair, but, for Edward's sake, she did allow another inch of growth.

Her uniform was different as well. While she still used the leotard, she added a wraparound sash to her waist to give her a little control because now that she was married, she didn't want every guy gawking at her curves. Edward had told her that he didn't mind if guys looked and drooled, but, if they made an untoward move, they'd be limping away or holding their "junk" after a swift kick. And it wouldn't have to be from Edward, either. Then again, if said idiot then called Raven a few choice names, then they would find themselves in very dire straights, looking into the blazing red eyes of a very angry Dragon.

**[30 minutes later]**

Everyone was gathered in the Ops center when the Tear of Oblivion formed and the younger Terra emerged.

"Hi, Terra," Edward said, "I know you might want to stay, but, considering that the Tear is still opened, Raven and I are ready."

"Yeah," she said, "Sol needs us back like now, she can't hold the portal open long."

"Be safe, Edward," Nightwing said, "You too, Raven."

"We'll be back as soon as possible," Raven said. Next thing she knew, Beast Boy was giving her a quick hug, which she actually returned.

Edward smiled and said, "We'll be in touch. We gotta run!"

Alt-Terra said, "Let's rock!"

She stepped through and Edward and his Raven followed.

It wasn't like when his friends from the past used a mist portal, though. Edward felt like he was surrounded by a darkness that he could feel. In some ways, it was like Raven's teleportation, but as the seconds went by, he felt weird. If someone asked him later, he couldn't really describe it well. It wasn't like when either he or Raven teleported, either. It was like falling, but, Edward couldn't place it.

Next thing they knew, they were spit out into a copy of the Titan Tower, just without all the upgrades that Edward had installed. It was the exact same Titan Tower as when he first arrived.

He looked around to make sure his Raven – Rachael – was there and she was.

Robin said, "Welcome to our Universe, Edward and Raven." He and Edward shook hands.

"Call me Rachael," she said, "to avoid confusion with your Raven."

"All right," Robin said. He was actually a little surprised to learn Raven's true name, but, didn't say anything.

Sol walked up to Edward and said, "Welcome Home, Edward. The Circle extends their greetings to you as well." He held out his talons (he was in his hybrid form) and Edward said, "If it is not a breach of protocol, a handshake is not enough. I owe you my very life." He pulled a surprised Sol into an embrace instead. Sol returned it after a moment.

"Thank you," Edward said, "It's such a small token of gratitude, though. Not nearly enough to acknowledge that for the first time in my life, I am honor bound to repay a life-debt."

Sol said, "Edward, I am just happy to see how you have developed over the centuries. There's no debt to repay."

"Please, allow me to repay it regardless," Edward asked, "A Dragon should always pay what is owed."

"Something the mortals taught you?" Sol said with a smile.

"Yeah, you can say that, I guess," Edward replied.

Edward looked at Starfire, who was very distraught looking indeed.

"Hi, Starfire," Edward said kindly and opened his arms to her. She ran over and started sobbing heavily. Edward held her and allowed her to release her pent up emotions.

He started to hum a song that he knew could calm her. Luckily, he had also learned some Tamaranian tunes to calm her counterpart. It took a while, but, she did calm down a bit and finally looked at Edward with pleading eyes.

He switched to Tamaranian and said, "Do not fear, Koriand'r. We will help Solor as best we can and bring him back to you."

"He thinks it was me, friend Edward, but, I swear, it was not. We have not done the ritual of the mating, yet," she said. Robin did not look happy about it, though. He had, finally, relented and allowed them to have their relationship, but, it didn't mean he didn't care for the young princess any less.

"Starfire," Rachael said, "We will find Solor's soul and help it to heal."

Raven saw what she would likely be like in a few years and said, "I am happy in a way."

"Raven, dear," Edward said, "Give it time. Let your history play out and you, too, will be able to experience _real_ emotions. You'll be able to laugh, cry, be angry, feel what real happiness is, allow yourself to feel fear, and get annoyed at Beast Boy's dumb jokes. Also, you will feel the love from your friends."

"Hey!" came the inevitable objection.

"Hush," both Ravens said at the same time. Edward laughed at how they both had the same comment.

"Yeah," Edward said, "You have two Ravens who enjoy phasing you through a window now, Beast Boy. And, Rachael here can take more enjoyment than your Raven, so, I wouldn't annoy her too much. Let your beautiful girlfriend enjoy them."

However, Terra smiled at the compliment. She was starting to see why her counterpart got along so well with the Dragon.

Cyborg came over and extended his hand, "Solor tells me that you really upgraded the Tower there."

"I did," Edward said taking Cyborg's hand, "Sadly, I do not have the contacts here that I have back home to make some of the upgrades. Too bad I don't have a counterpart here to get to join the team with those contacts.

"But, we need to focus on helping Solor first. I'll be more than happy to answer other questions after Solor wakes up.

"Raven, you and Rachael are with me. Sol, you're welcome to watch, of course. Same with Starfire. The others, I think should hang tight and relax."

"You sure?" Robin asked.

"Positive," Edward said, "I get that you want to be there watching to make sure Rachael and I don't do anything stupid. You will have to trust us like my Titans trust me. I mentored Solor during his time in our universe and I'm hoping that between the four of us, we can help Solor.

"Cyborg, before we start, though, is he fine physically?"

"Considering that our systems are not really designed for dragons, he does appear to be physically OK," Cyborg replied. They were still adjusting to the fact that Solor is a dragon in human form, but, it did answer a lot of questions.

Edward nodded, "I know the only time he was really hurt was after he arrived in my universe. In his hybrid form, the impact actually broke his nose."

"There was no evidence of that in the bio-scans," Cyborg said.

"That's because after our initial fight in the forest and we both calmed down, as a show of good faith and initial steps towards gaining his trust, I healed his wounds," Edward replied, "It's one of my abilities. What gets me, though, is that in a human form, I am capable of being hurt."

"I'll answer your questions later," Sol said.

"What's another day or so?" Edward quipped.

Edward and company headed to the Med-Bay, which was in the same location as Edward's home. In fact, Edward noted that everything was the same as when he first joined the team.

[Brings back some fond memories, dear?] Rachael asked via the link.

[Yeah it does. I'm not sure if using the mind-link is wise. Their Raven might be on the same frequency,] Edward replied.

"Raven?" Edward asked, "you know that Rachael and I are mind-linked, correct?"

"You're asking if I can hear your thoughts?" she replied, "I can, but, I'll stay out of your private conversations."

Edward smiled, "We would like that."

"You're more than mind-linked," Sol said, "Solor told us that you and her have mated. That means that you and her are soul-bonded. Even if you and her break up in a physical sense as mortals tend to do all too often, you and her will always be soul-bonded until the day one of you joins the First."

"I know, Sol," Edward said, "Solor explained all that to me. I have no plans of breaking up with my beloved, though."

"The Circle understands," Sol said kindly. While he tended to be gruff with mortals at times, he was setting that aside. In some ways, he was hoping that they would opt to stay, but his wisdom rejected that. Edward was only a whelp with them for a few years after hatching before they realized that he was a rare true hybrid. Solor didn't even know that one until after they returned home.

They entered the med bay and saw Solor there. He looked terrible. His eyes while closed were sunken, he looked deathly pale. Edward, having seen Solor in the med bay several times, looked at the vital signs and saw they were lower than he'd like.

He increased Solor's oxygen flow to try to push the O2 sats to higher than 96%.

"Solor," Edward said in the ancient tongue, "It's me, Edward. Rachael and I are here to help you. We both care about you deeply. You're like a second son to me and we need you to help us as well. Let us enter your mind to help you heal. Please, you have to trust us. We will not harm you and will go at your pace. I know where you're at is a very bad place, and you need our help."

The only response was a spike in Solor blood pressure. Edward took that as a good sign. But, inwardly, he was concerned. Raven was a skilled telepath and she had been kicked out pretty quickly. They would have to tread carefully to get Solor to trust them.

"Rachael, I would like you to hold Solor's right hand," Edward said, "I'll hold your free hand. Raven, forgive me, I know you're not fond of physical contact. For this, though, I need you on my free side. Then, Starfire on your free side and, Sol will complete the circle if he wants to.

"Rach, take point, please. You're the more experienced one here. No offense, Raven. Where we must go could be a very dangerous place. I've been inside my Raven's mind multiple times and know a bit about pitfalls. There is a 50-50 chance that our respective powers work at their fullest. If so, please, for Solor's sake, don't harm anything that appears to belong there. And, stay together! Even I do not know what we will see or find. We'll have to watch some memories of Solor's past that will be disturbing and that may include his true feelings for us all."

"I know that some of his memories of me will not put me in a good light," Sol said.

"Well, overlooking the pun," Edward replied, "We must promise each other that what we see, feel and hear doesn't leave this room. Sol, whatever happens, you have my personal word that I will not think less of you. I may not fully understand everything about you, but, I have come to realize that when Solor was exiled from your domain, you acted as a father to protect his life. You could have put the wishes of the leader of your Death Dragons first, but, did not. For that, you have gained respect points.

"Take a seat, folks. Clear your minds of everything except one thought: Healing Solor by entering his mindscape."

Sol opted not to take part saying, "Someone needs to stay in the physical realm to keep an eye on Solor, correct?"

Edward merely nodded, "Wise move. If something bad happens and he dies with us in there: We're all dead."

They got ready and when the circle was completed (after everyone sat down) both Ravens closed their eyes, as did Edward.

As one voice, Rachael, Raven and Edward said, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

Then, Sol saw two raven shaped soul-selves carrying a dragon shaped image and one that looked like Starfire into Solor's body. Sol waited several moments, but, when there was no reaction from Solor, he relaxed: Solor had not immediately kicked them out.


	2. Solor's memories, Part One

**Chapter 2  
[Entrance to Solor's mindscape]**

After a few moments of disorientation, Starfire quickly shook her head, recovering a bit. After all, despite the fact that she and Raven were best friends, she never had entered someone's mind before. And perhaps entering her boyfriend's was a bit of an invasion of privacy, but this was important.

"Forgive us, Boyfriend Solor," she said aloud, hoping that he could overlook this intrusion.

It was then she noticed that she wasn't really in a void like Beast Boy and Cyborg had described when they visited Raven's mind a couple years back. They were in a cave. A rather large cave that lead in two directions; one was to the opening, where Starfire could see her body waiting for her. The other was deeper and darker. Obviously, they did not want to go back to their bodies, so Starfire only saw one option.

"Is everyone alright?" she asked, looking over to the two Ravens and Edward, who were also recovering rather quickly.

"I'm fine", said Raven, while Rachel and Edward only nodded. "You'd think this would be less common than it really is…"

"Oh, believe me, it is", Edward said. "I've only done this a back home, once with Terra and many times with Rachel." He looked around. "Although I did not expect this… seems that Solor really does have a one way mind."

"Funny, but now's not the time for jokes, dear", Rachel said. "So, we have two paths that we can take. One is deeper into Solor's mind… and the other is back to our bodies."

"We must press on", Starfire insisted. "The sooner we find out what is wrong with boyfriend Solor, the better."

"Agreed", Edward said. "Let's get going, then. Remember… if it looks like it belongs here-"

"Don't touch it", came a voice, and everyone jumped into battle poses, getting ready to fight. However, the source was something they weren't expecting. Instead of something that was horrifying or sinister, they saw a new face. This one was female, for sure, but from what they could tell, she was definitely of dragon origin. Her hair was as white as snow, her eyes the color of gold, and her figure one to kill for. Her scales were bronze, much like Solor's and Sol's. She stood a good head taller than Edward, and looked at them all with a kind gaze. "He may not respond to your words, Edward Barnes, but Solor can still hear you."

"Okay... not to be rude or anything, but who are you?" Raven asked.

"I am Iilahkun", said the newcomer, walking past them. "I am what remains of Solor's subconscious… besides, of course, his memories."

"Moonlight…" translated Edward, looking suspiciously at her. "And what part of Solor are you?"

"In life, I was his mother", she responded. "I am the chosen mate of Sol, the Light of the Circle. I guided Solor down the path he took. I taught him to care, and defend what is right, even if it goes against our better judgment." She then turned to Starfire. "And I am the one that taught him to love, unlike most other dragons."

"I do not understand", Starfire said. "Solor taught me that most of his species does not believe in love. Only in the strength of their mates, and of their broods."

"True", Iilahkun replied. "It is frowned upon to fall in love with one that is not a member of your family. And your love should be limited, should you permit it to show. To understand how much he loves you, and how much pain he's in at the moment, you will face all of the most important memories, indicating his personal feelings for not just you four, but for every Titan that he considers his family."

"Then our mission is clear", Edward says. "We must continue deeper into the cave, and see his memories of all of us, no matter how disturbing they might be."

Rachel nodded, taking point. "I'll go first. As much as you understand, dear, I'm more experienced with traveling into the minds of others than you are. I'll be ready for anything that comes after us. I will need you behind me in case something strikes us that I can't handle."

"Then I'll pick up the rear", Raven decided. "Starfire, it's probably best if you stay by Edward. You may have used my powers before, but this is something that even I'm not sure of."

"Agreed," Edward replied, "I have no problem with this plan. Lead the way, my wife. Are we ready? Then let's get going."

The team got into formation and as they went deeper and deeper, the darkness seemed to wrap itself around their bodies, leaving little visibility. However, Starfire soon remedied that by allowing her hands to glow, letting a green light envelop them as they continued the journey. Edward was able to see, but, barely until Starfire charged a starbolt as a light source.

As they traveled, a soft noise soon began to reach their ears. It started low, and began to grow as they reached their destination. Suddenly, as if it never existed, the cave melted away to reveal what many surmised to be Solor's homeland.

Lush trees littered the base of several mountains, but mainly the terrain was rather rocky. Caves littered the faces of many mountains, and the sky was as clear as a fine fall day. But the real attraction were the dragons. Various shapes and sizes littered the skies as the beasts flew amongst themselves. Some roared into the sky, as they narrowly dodged each other in various acrobatic stunts, while others lazily rode the wind, barely even flapping their wings. Everyone was gawking at them, wondering how such a spectacle could be ignored for so long.

"Are these Solor's friends and family?" Raven asked, looking at all of them in muted wonder. Even despite her lack of emotion, she was quite astounded by all of the dragons.

"I'm guessing not", Edward said. "These are all different colors of dragons. And note how each dragon tends to mingle only with its own color. Reds with reds, blues with blues, greens with greens… despite how they look like they intertwine, there's a distinct boundary on where each dragon goes."

"Now whelplings!" came another new voice, and the group turned to see a bronze dragon, quite large and round, leading a bunch of much smaller whelps. "As you can see, this is the center of Lair. The very heart of our lands. Can any of you tell me the species of dragons flying in the air? It shouldn't be too hard, we were just talking about it."

One whelp spoke up, shooting a green fireball into the air. "It's simple. The blue are Water dragons, while the red are Fire, and the green are Life. The grey ones near the green ones are Death, and the really big one inside that cave is an Earth." The group looked at where the whelp pointed, and were shocked to see a rather large dinosaur head poking out of one of the caves, making a loud snore all of a sudden.

"THAT'S an Earth dragon?!" Edward and Rachel said at the same time, gawking. Edward was stunned. The Earth Dragon was far bigger than he was at full size. The head itself was gigantic, probably 40 meters in length.

"Incredible," Edward said.

"Very good, Starborn. As expected of the Light's heir", said the large Light dragon as the young whelp, now named Starborn, grinned smugly. "Now, why are they the colors that they are?" When no one answered, the dragon frowned. "It's right in front of you, whelplings. If you do not answer, then I shall have to explain it to you. Your brains aren't that far behind, are they?"

"What is he doing?" Starfire asked. "That is not how you teach a bumgorf."

"It may not be to humans, but this might be normal for dragons", Raven countered. "This is one of Solor's memories, remember?"

"Because the First gave them their powers and colors", came a strong, familiar voice. Everyone turned to see the largest bronze dragon they had seen, easily dwarfing the teacher in height. "When He created our species, He gave us our missions to guide and protect His creations with our gifts. In order to know what our part in His plan is, we are born with the tint of our scales."

"Grand Light!" said the teacher, quickly averting his eyes. "It is an honor to be in your presence." The other whelps followed example, including Starborn, though he was the last one and he didn't seem to like it.

"I'm afraid I have to cut your lesson short today, Elder. Starborn has been called by the Circle. It is time he knew of his destiny."

"Very well. Whelplings, return to your broods. We shall continue our lesson tomorrow. Starborn… good luck."

Starborn only held his head high, but suddenly the group could hear his voice in their heads.

_So... my day has come. I am to be judged by the Circle, and determined how strong I am and if I am capable of becoming the next heir. No one must know... but I am terrified. If I do not become the heir, then I will be yet another member of Lair. I will have no responsibilities besides becoming a soldier. But if I am to be the heir... then I will have many responsibilities. And one day, I will watch Father die and pass on his power to me. Will I be good enough for Lair? Or will I be cast out like Darkness before me?_

"Looks like Starborn was very insightful as a whelp", Rachel muttered.

"And paranoid", Raven added. "He was very worried as a child."

"Starborn is Boyfriend Solor's true name, yes?" Kreinyol asked, looking to Edward. "I remember that from when we were trapped in your universe."

"Yes, it is", Edward said. "When Solor was teaching me the Dragon tongue, he told me that every dragon is given a name in the natural tongue, based on what the mother feels. His mother named him Starborn, for he was born in the light of the constellation Draco.

"Also, most children are worried if they are good enough and that they please their elders. A whelpling, I see, is not that different than humans."

"What would your name be, then, Edward?" Rachel asked, genuinely curious.

Edward smiled. "Solor said that it wasn't official, seeing as he isn't my mother, but he would call me Kiinnum, which means Born Unique, due to how different I am from every other dragon that he's ever met. It's a name I will wear with honor, seeing how I am, in a sense, truly home."

Starfire was about to ask more, but she noticed that the large dragon and Starborn were flying away, with Sol slowing down so that his son could keep up. "Perhaps we should follow them?"

"I don't think we have much of a choice", Edward mentioned, pointing behind them. There was a wave of darkness slowly following them, and with no chance to observe their surroundings more, the group began following Solor and Sol, wondering what caused Solor to not get along with his father over the last couple years.

Little did they know they were going to get their answer.

Suddenly, their surroundings melted away, and they were in a new location. In what appeared to be a dormant volcano, Starborn stood in the center platform. Surrounding him were seven caves. Each one was lined with valuable gems, but only of one color per cave. One was lined with blue, one was lined with red, one with green, and so on. Finally, a light began to shine in the cave, and all of the gems began sparkling, reflecting the light. Slowly, one by one, large dragons began to exit the caves, standing on the perches outside of their caves. The only that didn't join was the one with black gems nearby. If Starfire had to guess, that must have been the cave of the Darkness dragon. And the Earth was so large, that he couldn't fit his whole head into the room, so all anyone could see of him was his eye. His large, yellow, slitted eye.

"This meeting of the Circle is to determine the fate of Starborn of the Light", came Sol's voice. "Tell me, what is your verdict, Death?"

Everyone looked at Edward, who realized that they were speaking in the Dragon tongue and started to translate.

The first Dragon stood up tall. Despite his withered, skinny frame, everyone shivered at the sight of him, even Edward. The leader of Death was tall, and very imposing. He looked more like a skeleton than anything, which made sense, considering the name. But as his eyes glanced over the whelp, everyone could see the wisdom of a full lifetime of 3000 years. "He is healthy", he said, his voice old but strong. "Even without the blessing of the Circle, he will last many long years. But with that strength will be the curse of watching the weak that he loves die. The question is... will that strength also protect him from the insanity?" Death gave a grin, showing off his large, pointed teeth. "Death has no hold over him. He will be strong to fight against all odds."

"Life?"

"He has a good heart", says the opposite dragon. Her scales were green, and she looked like a mix of a brontosaurus and a triceratops, with the long legs, long neck, and frilled neck with a horn on her snout. "He will fight to protect almost all. His knowledge of the life of this world is positive. But when he faces the plagues and other life in this world that lives only to fight and cause destruction... what shall he do to protect all of life? Will he sacrifice the few for the many? Or will he find another way?" The Life smiled. "I think with Starborn, Life will always find a way."

"Earth?"

As the leader of Earth spoke, his voice made the entire cave rumble. It startled the visitors in Solor's mind, but everyone else acted as though they were not phased. "His will is like the Earth. One will not break it, no matter how strong they are. But when it comes to the decisions, will he be strong enough to do what is right for the earth?" The yellow eye closed, as if approving. "The Earth supports all. And so shall Starborn."

"Fire?"

"His fury is unmatched", said the leader of Fire. "His passions burn as bright as the sun, and threaten to consume all that oppose him. But with a fire comes change, and new possibilities." The fire turned away, hiding a small smile. "His fire will not only consume, but bring change to the world."

"Water?"

"He is easily molded, like the way that one can change the path of water. When obstacles come his way, he does not fight them, but works around them. Like the river, he will find ways to continue no matter what."

"Then it is decided." Sol stood on his haunches, and his wings spread wide. "Starborn, you are the next light of the future. And in the name of the Circle, we name you Heir to the Light!"

XxXxX

Edward looked at the meeting, such as it was with awe on his features. He had to remember that these were likely the descendants of those who had sent him to his universe. The Death Dragon, Edward could tell, was close to his age. The gray skin reminded him of what a human corpse looked like or other corpses that had laid around for a day or so.

Death's wings were also gray and looked like they could barely support flight.

The Life Dragon, when she spoke, it sounded melodic and full of the joy of Life itself. A voice full of love as well. Her colors to Edward's eye were perfect and as he listened to her pronounce her sentence, he knew that Starborn was pleased.

The Earth Dragon's voice, a deep rumbling bass similar to Edward's when he used his full size would have the enemies back in Jump City shaking in their boots. In fact, both Ravens had the same basic thought about how Dr. Light would respond and the thought brought a smile to Rachael's face.

"Thinking about Dr. Light?" Edward asked.

She nodded, "He would be scared out of his skin. Like when Rage got hold of him."

Raven gave a small chuckle at that memory, but, quickly stopped, lest her powers react.

When Water spoke and blessed Starborn, the group nodded in agreement to all that was said.

"Starborn has proven all them correct," Edward surmised, "I would also have given my verdict of approval. However, I wonder what the Darkness would have said. If what I have gathered is correct, Darkness is pure evil and the Collector seems to bear that out."

"Who?" Raven said.

"He didn't bring that up, Raven?" Edward asked.

"No," she replied, "He didn't. Only time we heard of it was when we were talking to you before they returned home."

"One nasty creature," Edward replied, "He kidnapped Starfire and Rachael in an attempt to capture Starborn and I. The attempt almost succeeded except that I have his Blessing of Light. I was able to get Rachael and Starfire out and back to Earth. Starborn had to take the Collector all the way out. But, he was able to send the creatures that could still be helped back to their homes. Others were in worse shape than Solor is now, suffering a fate where death would be welcomed with open arms than what that bastard did to them."

Starborn, meanwhile, looked at the members of the Circle briefly before saying, "I pray that I am worthy of this honor."

"I was never prouder of Starborn," Iilahkun said, startling the others, "It was the start of his rite of passage, but, as you saw, Starborn wanted to be able to look upon his own sire but that custom and tradition dictated otherwise, at least in public. In private, Sol was less likely to rebuke his own son for daring to look upon him."

Edward raised an eyebrow, "I see. Would I have gone through this ritual?"

"Had you hatched as a regular Dragon, yes," she replied, "Due to what happened, though, the Circle debated a long time, according to the ancient records on how to protect you the best. My mate can answer your questions better, Edward. My purpose here is to guide you. That's one reason why Starborn hasn't ejected you. The other is he did hear your voice. You are the **only** Dragon that Starborn will trust now and your wife made an impression on him when he was banished to your realm for some reason. A final reason is that I am here with you.

"Raven, I'm sorry that he threw you out before. He was not expecting that you would try to help him in this manner."

Raven waved it off, though. "It's all right," she replied graciously.

By then, the whelpling Starborn had been escorted out of the chamber by Sol and as the scene closed, the group walked behind Starborn.

Rachael was still on point, just in case. Edward had a bad feeling that what they would encounter would shake them to the core and he was worried as a result. He knew both Ravens would be able to handle what they were about to encounter, it was Starfire who had Edward concerned as she was the younger version of the Starfire he considered to be his family. The older Starfire could handle things better. This younger one was different.

[Sweetheart,] Rachael said, [Don't worry about Starfire so much. She's a strong woman, even in this stage of her development. We're already here, so, we have to see it through. Raven didn't even get this far.]

Edward nodded, [I hope so, dear. Solor's mind, thus far, is unharmed. It's going to be later when we'll see the signs of damage and the most when he will go through this rape. That's when we will see how strong she is. If they are soul-bonded already, the Circle will not be able to intervene. In fact, I think it will take her love for him to break through to him. This isn't like when we went into Terra's mind to help her, yet it will be. Remember when Beast Boy's deep love for Terra convinced her to emerge? Well, Star will have to have the biggest fight in her life, right here in Solor's mind: To convince him that she still loves him, no matter what.]

[What is interesting is that the Earth Dragon said that Solor's will cannot be broken,] Rachael said after a moment.

[Yet, we are here to fix his broken will and a shattered soul regardless,] Edward replied, [This is going to be a major rescue mission.]

Raven, of course, could hear the conversation between Edward and her counterpart, but, wasn't going to interrupt, unless asked to.

_I hope Starfire knows what she is in for._

XxXxX

When the next memory arrived, Starborn looked to have grown a few meters. It was a gloomy day, and he was sitting in front of a pile of rocks, a blank stare on his face. Beside him was a female dragon, which everyone assumed was his mother.

"He will be missed", said Iilahkun. "He was strong and kind... it is a shame that he went the way he did."

"He was weak", said Starborn in response. "To be killed by scum like that... he deserved to die."

Iilahkun looked to the whelp, and instead of smacking him or chastising him, she only gave a soft smile. "Oh? I did not realize I was speaking to the Grand Light."

The words had their desired affect, and Starborn let out a low whine. "Why... why do they hate us, Mother?"

Iilahkun sighed, and wrapped a wing around her son. "I do not know the answer. But remember... they are easily infected with fear of the unknown. And remember, when you first saw an Earth dragon, you did not act so comfortably as you think, my Starborn."

"But he was only trying to help..."

"And sometimes kindness is repaid by foul words and deeds, and there is nothing that can be done." Iilahkun stood up, flapping her wings. "What matters is that you are better for them."

As she left the whelp behind, Starborn felt his tears drop. _To kill my brother..._ he thought. _To kill him in cold blood because they cannot recognize the Darkness that was plaguing them. I will be better. Better than my brother. Better than them. Better than any damn mortal scum this world has to offer._

Starborn looked down at the stones, and placed a claw to his heart. "Brother... your death will mean nothing in the end, for the First has claimed you to join his ever growing army. Someday, I hope we meet again." He flapped his wings and began to fly away, leaving the group behind.

"So Solor has the anger towards humans because they killed his brother", Starfire said sadly.

"Makes sense", said Raven. "He never really liked humans when he first started. I think he's gotten over it as he worked to redeem himself, though."

Edward and Rachel stayed silent, thinking about this. Solor never did mention much about his family when he was visiting. Was it perhaps that most of them were dead? Was that why he never brought it up? In fact, the only time his family was really brought up was when Edward insulted them. A fact that still bothered him despite Solor's eventual forgiveness.

Edward knew all too well what Solor was feeling, though. It was _exactly_ why he hid in plain sight for so many centuries. He knew that the humans of the period would have done the same to him ... or attempted to in his case.

[So, he had a brother killed by humans,] he said to Rachael sadly, [No wonder he had a prejudice when he arrived in our universe. Prejudice is nasty, as one of my friends from 1750 noted. I do feel bad for him here. It also gives me somewhat of a time reference. I would estimate that Solor is probably 200 or so years old, so, that makes this roughly 1470 to 1520 AD.]

The next memory was even more depressing. As the memory melted away, angry voices came up. It seemed the new memory was more recent, as Starborn was much bigger. He was sitting at the top of a volcano, watching the inside with great interest.

"What is he doing?" Rachel asked. However, she then noticed Starborn's mother nearby as they watched, and decided to just remain silent.

Suddenly, an unfamiliar sound reached their ears. And when they looked inside, they were met with an incredible sight. At the center of the volcano was a small nest, and inside were five bronze eggs, and one of them had hatched, revealing the tiniest, most adorable dragon that they had seen. Its eyes were closed, and it sounded like it was crying.

"Oh, it is the cutest thing I have ever seen!" Starfire cooed, with hearts in her eyes.

Raven, however, was looking at Solor and Iilahkun. Both were looking with concern in their eyes, and looking over at each other.

_Something is wrong._

Just like that, all of a sudden, the nest was covered with a shadow. And from what everyone could notice, it was the same Death dragon that had given praise to Starborn only a few minutes before. It landed on the other side of the nest, and took only a moment to glance over the whelp that was crying. The crying had lessened, and it wasn't moving as much.

"It is weak", said Death, sighing. "In the past 2000 years, I have not seen such a weak brood."

"You take that back!" Solor said, growling. "They are not weak! It is this nest! I had told Mother not to nest here, but no one listens! This place is too warm for Light whelps!"

Death gave a lazy look towards Solor. "And you are certain, if she had nested elsewhere, then your mother would not be any weaker than she is now?"

"Say that again", Solor said, breaking the tradition and daring to stare Death in the eye.

The much older dragon, however, merely laughed. "I tell you only the truth, Starborn, Heir to the Light. In one months time, your mother shall join the First. And there is nothing to be done about it."

Those words had a harsh effect on Solor. Instantly, his scales began glowing bright white, and he roared in pure, unadulterated rage before charging. The Death dragon, not expecting the frontal attack, was struck hard by Solor's claws, but he easily recovered, glaring.

"That will be your last mistake, boy."

It was then the Death dragon began to wail on Solor, blocking and countering every attempt to strike back. By the time it was over, some of Solor's scales were ripped out of place, exposing soft flesh, and he could barely open his left eye. Despite how withered Death looked, he had done quite a number. He approached the drake, placing a claw on his neck and holding him still. "The Circle will need to hear about this... but I think it is about time you learned your place, Starborn."

At that, the grey dragon took in a deep breath, and just before he unleashed his attack, the scene faded, leaving them in a black void.

Starfire gasped as her joy at seeing the newborn hatchling was replaced with immense sadness knowing that the baby had died. Edward reached over to her and pulled her into an embrace. Starfire was also shocked to her core seeing her beloved beaten within an inch of his life.

She wept heavily for her boyfriend's pain and grief. What Death had pronounced was that the entire brood died, with four of the eggs dead in their shells and the only one to hatch was so weak that it probably did not survive more than a few minutes.

Rachael was also saddened and the only thing that kept her from also crying was her training at Azar's feet.

"Starfire," Edward said kindly, "We knew coming here that we'd see Solor's most painful memories. This is the darkest day of his life, until last week in your time. "The Solor the four of us have gotten to know is not this Solor. You, my friend, are the reason Solor has mellowed. You will have to fight for him and I know how strong love is for a Tamaranian. I saw that every day with Robin and well after he became Nightwing. Use that to your advantage."

She calmed down hearing that.

When the light began shining again, Solor was once again in the center of the Circle, but this time there was an audience. Surrounding him were several dragons, glaring and snarling at him. He held his head high, still, despite what he had done.

"Starborn, you stand accused of High Treason by attacking the leader of the Death Clan", came Earth's loud voice, silencing the others. "What say you in your defense?"

"He insulted my lineage", Solor responded. "My mother was very young when I was born. She can last a few more hundred years, not a mere month."

"All life ends, Starborn", Life said. "There is a time to fight for the life of another, and a time to let them go. Such is the balance that the Circle seeks to protect."

"My mother will not die", said Solor, his anger rising. "What right do you have to determine when she shall die?"

"It is not only our right, it is our duty", said Fire. "Life and Death have been tasked to keep an eye on those being born and those that will die."

"If the brood was not weak, Death would not have arrived", Water added. "If your mother were not nearing the end of her life, Death would not have said so. He did not say so to insult you, but to warn you."

"He laughed."

"It is a defense", said Death. "I watch my broods die well before I am able to. I watch those many years younger than I shrivel up and pass on to the First. If I was saddened by every death I saw, then I would never be able to uphold my duty to this world."

Edward knew well of which Death spoke. But, he knew that there were times when he needed to grieve the loss of the mortals he was closest to. When his Callisto died, he grieved for months. When Paula died, he grieved. Same when his other friends displaced from the modern era passed, even through he knew that they would return as History dictated. But, he fully understood where the leader of the Death clan was coming from. Mourning every single death would be pointless.

"Your 'duty' is meaningless", Solor spat. "Any mortal with a basic concept of biology can understand when one is going to pass on. It takes those with courage to fight to try to keep them alive."

"And why, pray tell, should we allow your mother to continue to live?" asked Life. "She has grown weak over the years. She can barely fly, she can no longer breathe fire. She is not the best for our people's survival."

"Maybe you are not the best for their survival?" questioned Solor, getting many murmurs throughout the volcano. "You would rather sit on your haunches and dictate how others should act and when they should die rather than try to make this world a better place! We could be doing so much more!"

"Like what?" scoffed Fire. "Murdering the mortals? They are a part of the design of the First. Even after five hundred years, you refuse to enter the world of mortals anymore, after we refused your bid for a hunting party."

"And a lot of good that did! We lost hundreds of our brothers and sisters to the humans!"

"It was a risk they all were willing to take", said Water.

"AND WHY WON'T YOU?!" roared Solor. "YOU BIGOTED OLD ONES DO NOTHING!"

"**ENOUGH**", came the Earth once more, silencing everyone. "A serious crime has been committed today. Starborn of the Light has committed treason against the Circle. What is the punishment to be?"

"Put to Death", said Fire. "If he goes without being punished severely, others will think that they have a chance to fight the will of the First. It shall be a fitting way to prevent another Dark uprising."

"I say we try to work with him", said Water. "The death of his brother and soon-to-be death of his mother are weighing hard on him. We should help him with his pain."

"What say you, Light?" asked Earth. "You have spoken of nothing since this Circle began."

Sol stared at his son, and Solor stared right back, not budging an inch. Eventually, the elder dragon snorted, before turning away from his son. "Banishment. If he is willing to act like a Dark dragon, treat him like one."

"What say you, Life?" Earth asked.

"Starborn should be given the chance to redeem himself," she said, "While he has committed a serious offense, it was done in a moment of blinding anger. I agree with the Grand Light that he should be banished as punishment. Time among the humans he disdains so much may teach him humility."

Death was not asked his opinion as it was obvious how he felt: Solor deserved to die for his failed attack. It mattered not that the attack was driven by anger to the old Dragon. An attack on a member of the Circle was an attack on all.

The other members of the Circle looked hard at Starborn as Earth said, "While I feel that Starborn should be executed, it would be pointless. We can help Starborn by banishment instead.

"Starborn, you are hereby found GUILTY of High Treason. The Sentence is Death. This sentence is suspended in lieu of Indefinite Banishment. You shall live among the humans. You are herewith stripped of your title of Heir of the Light until such time as you prove to be worthy. When you are allowed to return, we will again vote to see if are worthy of the title of Heir of the Light. Grand Light will monitor your progress without interfering and report to us at regular intervals. Starborn will be given sufficient time to prepare and to say his farewell to his mother. He will be given six months from today to prepare for his time with humans, however, if there is even so much as one action against any other dragon...Starborn shall be executed without right of appeal or possibility of pardon. Should Starborn attempt to break exile without leave of the Circle, the sentence of Death will be carried out. Starborn is dishonored and disgraced.

"Grand Light, you will determine the conditions in which your son shall be allowed to return and what is expected of him and report to us yearly.

"Be it known by all Dragons that the sole reason Starborn is allowed to live is his former standing as Heir to the Light. Should any Dragon, regardless of their type commit Treason against the Circle, the penalty is death.

"This is the judgment of the Circle. We are adjourned."

Solor was escorted out as the audience continued to voice their displeasure.

No one in the Circle saw how Edward reacted. His eyes started glowing red in unbridled anger.

"Those bastards!" Edward snarled, "It's bad enough that this Death Dragon beat the crap out of Solor, they had to add insult to injury by casting him out instead of trying to mentor him to help him cope with his grief. I would have insisted on mentoring him and taking Water's advice."

"Your anger is pointless," Raven noted, earning a hard look from Edward before he sighed. His eyes returned to normal after a moment.

"You're right, Raven," he said, "It is pointless...here. Nothing we do will affect what happened.

"But, it is a huge piece of the puzzle. I had wondered why Solor attacked me in our first spar. Now, I see why. His lineage is a point of pride to him and he lost so much before this. Other dragons who risked their lives in the mortal world and were killed for it. His own brother, at this point, long ago deceased did not help and when he wanted to go to war with the mortals of the past, the Circle rightfully refused. I would have also recommended that he be turned down, I think. But, then, I've lived in the mortal world my whole life and I do have a soft spot for them."

Starfire, on the other hand, stayed silent. She was utterly fuming, but she did not voice her opinion. She needed to think about this, and was surprised when Iilahkun's claw was on her shoulder. "I know... it is angering to know that everyone who praised him so many years ago turned their back on him", she said.

"Then why did they?" Starfire asked, restraining her rage.

"The next memory will show the reason", Iilahkun replied. "You must be strong, for after this last memory of my son and his father, we shall see how strongly he feels about you Titans."

The next memory turned Starfire's anger into a deep, deep sadness, though. Solor had buried the failed brood months before, putting a small headstone with their names on them. But, today was the day when his mother was on her deathbed. Sol and Solor were there as she struggled to breathe, her bronze scales having grown dull over the previous months. Life had given her a slight extension of time, to the point that it was close to the end of the grace period.

Solor held her claws in his as she looked up at him, unable to lift her serpentine neck.

"S-Solor," she whispered. He bent over to try to hear her.

"P-p-please try to forgive your father," she begged, "I won't live much longer, my son. R-r-remember what I taught you. Know that..." The sentence would never be finished as she let out a long sigh and the grip she had on Solor's talons relaxed for the last time.

"Mother?" he said getting no response as the light of Life faded from her eyes. The tears burned behind his own eyelids and he roared in sadness, the sound echoing through the cave and eventually into Lair. The roar was like Godzilla's roar of grief.

Starfire latched onto Edward once more as the scene faded, crying her eyes out as she also mourned. Edward, too, wiped away his own tears. He knew he had witnessed the death of another dragon in his friend's most private memories.

The next memory started, and it was a grey day in Lair. Solor was standing at another pile of rocks, although this time, he was moving the last few boulders into place. Once they were all covering the body, Solor began carving the name into the rock.

"'In Memory of the Light of the Moon'", came Edward's translation.

"Starborn", came the loud voice of his father. Like that, the Grand Light soon landed near Solor, a soft look on his face. "It is time."

"Please...", Solor began, his voice racked with despair. "Let me mourn her... before you banish me, let me mourn her."

"I wish I could", Sol said. "Even Death was surprised that she lasted this long... she must have wanted to live long enough to say goodbye to you..."

"Don't you dare speak of what she wanted!" Solor snarled, turning to his father. "She wanted me to stay! She wanted me to work on my anger!"

"And she does not carry out the First's will anymore." Sol sighed. "I wish I knew what she thought of me... was I a good mate?"

Solor sighed as well, calming down slightly but still angered. "She loved you with all of her heart, Father. That feeling she clung onto until the very end. She told me that I should forgive you."

"And will you?" asked Sol. "It was not my place to call you a Dark dragon. I was... disappointed. I expected more from my heir."

"Well, then you can find someone who is better suited to be your heir", Solor snarled, turning away. "If I do return, I will join the ranks of the soldiers, and I will die in battle against the Darkness. I want nothing to do with the likes of the Circle."

"Starborn-"

"NO!" Solor roared. "I have made up my mind! I will NEVER be your heir!"

Sol fumed, and finally said the worst thing possible before he cast the spell, opening a Tear of Oblivion under the younger dragon.

"Then fall to the humans. Know that if you kill a single one, I will hunt you down and kill you myself."

With that, the memory faded as Solor was sucked into the realm of Mortals.

Also, the die was cast and Solor was banished from his home indefinitely. He was on a path he did not desire, but, his volcanic temper had burned too many bridges and he was an outcast in a world where dragons might not be accepted.

Edward was finding it hard to want to keep his promise to Sol. It would take some time in deep meditation before he would be able to speak to the Grand Light without allowing his own anger to show. It was one thing for Sol to join in a verdict against his son, but, to threaten a grieving child with death for harming a mortal went against a lot of what Edward stood for.

Starfire was wiping the tears from her face seeing Solor bury his mother and the final rift between k'norfka and bumgorf. It reminded her too much of the rift between her and Blackfire.

XxXxX

The next memory the group encountered was one of Solor meeting the Titans. As he interacted with each Titan, they knew his opinion now on each and every Titan.

Robin dressed weird, and smelled too much of funky hair gel. Besides that, he was an ordinary human. Immediately shoved into the "I don't like him" list.

Cyborg was made almost entirely out of metal. Metal wasn't meant to move. Solor was definitely wary of him, but once learning more about the older teen, he decided he was harmless. At least, until he learned how to use that sonic cannon.

Beast Boy was annoying. Let's just leave it at that.

Now Raven and Starfire were different. It was obvious that he didn't get along too well with the boys, but Raven set him off in a different way. Her powers were based all around Darkness, which Solor was meant to hate. And yet she used her powers to protect the world and the people she cared for. He didn't know what to think of her. Perhaps she could be an ally? It would be interesting to learn more about her powers.

As for Starfire... well, it was obvious that he didn't dislike her. She was like a human, and so unlike one at the same time. She was kind and caring, and didn't wish any harm to anyone she met unless they managed to trigger her righteous fury. She fought for what she believed was right. And when they first met, he could tell she was scared and confused. Perhaps it was because she was in such a foreign world, like himself, that he chose to free her?

When he was tossed into Edward's universe, though, his first thoughts of Edward were not friendly ones, even when Edward revealed his true form. At first, all he saw was Sol, especially when Edward revealed his age. But, after Edward suffered the brunt of the Blessing of Light and actually offered a heartfelt apology, Solor didn't know what to think. Sol never came out and apologized for much and the time he sort of apologized, Solor told him exactly where the idea of being his heir could be stuffed.

As Edward took the time to work with him, though, Solor realized that Edward was not Sol at all. He took the time to teach Solor how to cook a few things, taught him that it was truly acceptable to love a mortal and a human at that. Sure, Raven's a half-demon, but, that didn't stop Edward from falling in love with her. It showed Solor that putting his heart into Starfire's hands would be one of the best decisions he could make.

As the group watched Solor's memories of Edward go from a dislike, to a begrudging respect, to actually considering Edward to be a close, trusted friend after the incident with the Collector, they didn't have to say a word.

And from the next batch of memories, his feelings towards his team only improved. After the initial meeting and forming of the team, the next memory to show itself was well into the team's development. In fact, it was right after Robin's episode of hallucinations. When Slade was defeated by Terra in this universe, all that remained were fragments of his broken mask. He was sealed in concrete, and transported to a maximum security prison, where he still stayed to this day, shamed that the world knew what he looked like.

But Robin was always convinced that Slade would return. And after inhaling hallucinogens laced onto the pieces of Slade's mask, was convinced Slade had somehow escaped and was threatening to destroy the city. It took Raven's aid to help him see the vision for what it was, but days passed before Robin would interact with anyone, ashamed that he had been so easily fooled.

One day, (after Solor returned to his universe), Solor was passing by Robin's room, looking irritated. He was getting tired of his leader's lack of action. And whether he wanted to or not, Robin was going to get a major wakeup call.

"Robin!" he called out, knocking on the door. "Open this threshold! I would speak with you!"

"Go away, Solor", came Robin's voice. "Leave me alone."

"No. Not until you hear what I have to say", Solor said. "I will say it no matter what. So, shall I speak to your face, or to your door?" When there was no reply, Solor clutched his claws together, thinking about breaking the door down. But he soon sighed, and set his hands down to his sides, his tone much softer than he would like to admit. "We need you, Robin. In my home... Lair... it is the duty of the Circle to guide and strategize. My father... he is in charge of my species, the Light dragons. And while I do not agree with all he has said... I do know what he does is best for the dragons he loves.

"I am sure he has questioned himself on whether he was right in his actions or not, banishing me. But if he was wrong, he would have no shame in admitting his mistakes. No shame in admitting his errors. And that is without outside interference. If he was to fall to someone's tricks... he would get back up and fight for what is right once more." He turned away, ashamed that he was speaking so highly of his father when the last time he had spoken to him alone, he had cursed him out and disowned him. He didn't count warning his father about Darkness. That was merely his duty. "I am... seeing now that we need a strong leader, like my father. But he is not here. And no one is better fit for the job than you are, Robin."

"... I thought you hated me", Robin said through the door.

"Oh, I can't stand you", said Solor, chuckling a bit. "But I'd rather have you as a leader than say Beast Boy. Can you imagine? He'd probably try to enforce rules such as everyone being required to eat tofu, or Cyborg would become the new training dummy. Or perhaps you would like to have a leader who intimidates her teammates into following her way, like Raven?"

The door suddenly opened, and Robin stepped out, all dressed in his uniform, but bags under his eyes. "You know that's not how any of them would act."

"I know", said Solor, "but it had the desired effect. You are speaking to me face to face." When Robin didn't reply, Solor shifted to his human form. "Tell you what. I shall spar you. No powers, no weapons, just hand to hand combat. If you win, then I shall do whatever you may ask. _Except_ break up with Starfire. Don't give me that look, I knew you were going to try to forbid that again. Anyway, if I win, then you have to suck it up, as Cyborg says, and come back to work. And remember, I do not have the experience you have in hand to hand combat."

Robin smirked, knowing Solor must have some trick up his sleeve. But this was an opportunity to good to pass up. "You're on, scaly. Let's head to the sparring room."

Starfire smiled as she watched the memory fade. She remembered that day; Solor and Robin fought until they both were tired, and from that day forward, they seemed to get along much better than they used to. It probably helped that Solor had already gotten along with Nightwing, the older, alternate version from Edward's universe, but he was able to save face by forcing the match into a draw.

Edward and Rachael smiled seeing that as well. Edward was proud, once more, of his temporary protege for getting Robin out of his shell. Where the younger Solor would have beaten Robin into a pulp, this wiser Solor didn't humiliate Robin and if he was reading Starfire's reaction right, Solor allowed a draw to occur.

"Solor's learned a lot, I see," Edward said.

"He has, friend Edward," Starfire said with a smile, her sadness from earlier forgotten.

"It's like night and day," Raven replied in her monotone, "Whatever happened in your world helped Solor to gain more control over his emotions."

"Nothing that you wouldn't have done," Rachael replied, "I was able to build on what you already taught him, and once he realized his true feelings towards Starfire, everything fell into place. He was certainly willing to forgive Nightwing after their spar."

"I'll say," Edward replied with a grin, "The day after we were forced to suspend him, they buried the hatchet, apologizing and forgiving one another. From what I understand, Nightwing gave Solor $40 to show that he truly was at peace with the whole idea. No one's pride was really hurt, unless you count Nightwing being suspended. It wasn't easy for me to tell a brother in arms that he was set down for 30 days. Probably as hard as it was for Sol to throw his own son out."

By then, though, it was obvious that another memory was about to be recalled as Edward pondered what Solor thought about him. He knew it would be mixed and steeled himself for whatever would transpire, good or bad.

However, Solor's next memory was not of Edward, but of Raven. After the incident with Malchior, Raven was alone once again, pondering her position in the Titans. If she was so easily fooled, did she really belong on the team? Was she so desperate for companionship that she would risk letting out a villain just so she wouldn't feel so alone?

A knock at her door surprised her. It wasn't like the others, though, and immediately she recognized the pattern. "Solor, what do you want?" she asked, putting on a facade of indifference.

"Let me in, Raven", came the reply. "I am here to meditate with you."

Surprised once more, Raven decided to allow the dragon in. He entered the room, looking around with slight alarm. "No matter how many times you allow me into your room, I do not think I can get used to the decor."

"Get to the point", she said, huffing a bit. "I know you're not here to be my interior designer. You wanted to meditate?"

"Well... to be honest, I thought you might want to talk", Solor responded. "You have not spoken to anyone since Malchior tried to trick you."

"Talking is pointless", said Raven. "And so is holding onto the past."

"Raven, I know of your part in Trigon's return. I know you can feel. And I know you are lying to me."

Raven sighed, and finally opened up... even if only a little. "Okay, fine. I had a crush on a stranger from a book. I wished that for once, I could be accepted for who I am, and not irritated, or trying to be forced to change, or to be shunned because I'm creepy. And don't say I'm not, we both know that's not true. And I was blinded by emotions that I never felt before because someone said that they understood me. It was a mistake... one that I will never make again."

Solor listened to her, and at this point, he knew what she was thinking. She was ashamed that she had been so easily fooled, much like Robin. He moved over to Raven, and held out his hand. "Tell me, Raven... do I frighten you? Do you think that I am... creepy?"

"What? No. You're not dark, or scary. You're an ass, yeah... but you have a good heart. You wouldn't do anything to hurt anyone you cared for unless you were tricked, and even then, you'd do whatever it took to get forgiveness for what you did." Raven then realized what she was saying, and looked away, covering her face with her hood. "You're using my words against me, aren't you?"

"Rachel, you are a powerful young woman", said the dragon, forcing her to face him again. "You care for people, as much as anyone else can. Your powers limit what you can feel, but you can _feel_. And like any human... or dragon, in my case, you make mistakes. There is no such thing as perfect. You let your emotions cloud your judgement. And it won't be the last time, I can guarantee that."

Edward looked at Raven and blushed.

"I know you are wondering how Solor knew your real name," he said, "Pin that on me. I told him when he was visiting. I didn't expect him to use it here. But, he is right, Raven. Look at your counterpart. She opened up after Trigon was defeated in my universe the first time. It wasn't just my doing. Beast Boy, in our universe, agreed that you're creepy, but, that night, he showed her that she had him as a friend."

Rachael looked at what she used to be like and said, "Beast Boy said that I was not as alone when I thought I was. It was the first time he wasn't a clown or trying to make me laugh. He touched my heart, Raven. I was so moved that I came out of my room and actually hugged him ... until Cyborg ruined the moment with a stankball."

"That figures", Raven replied. "Although I do admit... Beast Boy being the one to get me out of my shell for a moment seems like something he'd do. This doesn't leave this room... but I do like his jokes. It's just the fact that he is relentless with them when he knows that I can throw him out the window if I laugh that's annoying."

"Understandable", Edward said. "How is he in your universe, now that he and Terra have gotten together?"

"You can ask him yourself later", Raven said. "I think you guys need to see the rest of this."

Solor continued where he left off, as if he had been on pause while they weren't paying attention to the memory. "Love blinds us. But it also can be our greatest weapon. Don't think that you won't be able to feel it. One day, Trigon will be defeated forever, and you will be able to feel all the emotions that you crave."

Raven looked down. "But will I be able to be loved in return?"

"You already are." With that, Solor pulled Raven into a gentle hug, surprising everyone watching. "You may not be related to me by blood... hell, you may be half demon, and mostly emotionless... but you have helped all of us Titans in ways that I am honored to call you my little sister."

Starfire squealed, and clapped her hands together. "I did not know this! Why did you not tell me, friend Raven?"

It was then Solor kinda ruined the moment by saying, "If you tell anyone that I said that, I'll make sure Starfire takes you on the longest, girliest trip to the mall of your life." It was obvious he was joking, but he still felt embarrassed, having let his emotions show. Raven picked up on the emotional vibes, and smirked.

"My lips are sealed", she promised, returning the hug. The memory faded, but the next arrived much quicker than the others. Solor and Edward were on the roof, going over the Dragon language.

"Ahh," Starfire said, "That is why, friend Raven. I shall keep it a secret, then."

Edward was learning the language fairly quickly. The only problem is the one he had learning Tamaranian, and that was because there was no Earth basis. But, as it turned out, and something that even Edward didn't realize at the time...He had a genetic imprint of the Dragon language, passed down through many thousands of generations. Once he and Solor really sat down as teacher and student, the memory started to awaken, surprising Solor greatly and he wondered how Edward was learning it that fast. It would have taken Solor two months to get the others up to speed.

"You weren't kidding," Solor said, "You are learning this language very quickly. I'm impressed, old-timer."

By then, the two Dragons had gone from enemies to friends to family. Edward was far kinder than Solor's father, but, wasn't afraid to chastise Solor at times. He was kind about even that, knowing that it was a matter of time before they were rescued.

_I have never seen a Dragon who has all these abilities. How is he becoming fluent in the native tongue this quickly? What is Edward hiding, though? I know he's been very open with me and Kreinyol since we were dumped here...May the First damn whoever did this to us. But, I wonder why his breath weapons have such a severe backlash as well._

"Could it be that now you know your origins that you instinctively knew the language all along?" Raven asked, pausing the memory playback in the process.

"Genetic memory?" Edward supposed, "That is a very good possibility, Raven. I've always picked up languages quickly, the only exception was Starfire, and that was because Tamaranian doesn't have a root in human languages. But, the Starfire of my world loves when we can converse in her native language, and you saw my calming this Starfire down earlier in her language.

"Each dragon has a genetic imprint of the language," Solor's mother confirmed, "That's why you are able to speak it and translate for your friends."

"So, you are happy with my translations?" he asked. She nodded, "Like you were born speaking the language and spent your life here with us."

Edward smiled, "Thank you for that. I am finding myself regretting that we will never meet in the waking world, though."

"It's all right," she said, "You treated Solor with the respect that he lacked in our universe. Even when he almost tore off your wing and attacked you with the Blessing of Light, you offered him respect. I did forgive your taunt, as well. You showed Solor that you're more human than Dragon and surprised him greatly."

"Thank you," was all Edward could say.

The scene on the roof of the tower went dark for a moment, like a CD Track being changed and the next memory was of Solor and his beloved Starfire.

Currently, the two were in Starfire's bedroom, and the real version had the decency to blush, as she saw that the two were cuddling in her bed. After finally getting Robin to concede that they were going to be together for a long time, Solor began nightly visits to her room, enjoying her company very much. They both lay in the bed, content to be in each other's arms, before Solor shifted a bit, pulling an arm back so he could lean on it as he looked into her eyes.

"What is it?" Starfire asked, looking back.

"Nothing", said Solor. "Just thinking about how beautiful you look."

Starfire blushed at his words, despite having heard them a million times. "You flatter me", she said with a giggle. She then sighed happily, snuggling into his chest. "I wish we could stay like this..."

"We can for the night, as always", Solor responded. He ran his fingers through her hair, smiling down at her. "You always ask me to stay, and I always say yes. Tonight will be no different."

Starfire only sighed in response, smiling. However, soon, it was obvious Solor had a devious little plan, as his hands began running up and down her side. She giggled, squirming underneath him. "B-boyfriend Solor, why do you insist on t-tickling me?" she asked, although there wasn't any sign of her disliking the attention.

"Because every part of you is beautiful", said Solor. "Even your laughter. I think you like my touch as much as I enjoy making you smile."

Starfire giggled some more, before catching his hands and looking up at him. He saw that familiar spark in her eye, before her lips were upon his. They began to make out, moving closer and closer, relishing in the presence of one another.

"Okay, this is not something I need to see", said Raven bluntly, causing Starfire to blush even more.

"There must be a reason for him showing us this", said Edward. "He wouldn't let us see... that much, would he?"

"No, I think this was a week before we fought Brother Blood", Starfire said, still blushing a bit. "Solor and I have never gotten further than the making out phase... or the slight teasing."

As the two continued to enjoy the taste of each other, Solor allowed his hands to move along her body, letting them lightly touch her skin and sending shivers down her spine. As they traveled towards her rear though, he heard her gasp, and she flinched lightly. He stopped almost immediately, opting instead to wrap his hands around her waist.

Starfire, however, stopped the kiss. "W-Why are you stopping?" she asked, panting and shaking lightly.

"Kreinyol, my love... you are not ready", said Solor. He sighed, pressing his forehead against her. "Despite how much you react to my touch, you are still surprised when I make a move towards you. You flinch when I get too close to an intimate location, and you freeze, if only for a moment, when you start thinking that I am moving too fast." He smiled at her. "It is okay, though. If you are not ready, then we can wait. I will wait as long as I have to."

"Are you sure?" she asked, flustered. "It has been months... are the hormones still messing with you?"

"Kreinyol, my hormones mess with me every time I see you", he responded. "You are the only one for me, and I will deal with anything if it means that you will stay with me. I will even forego the ritual for as long as you wish."

"... if that is what your heart says", she finally said. "Please... just a little longer..."

"Take your time", Solor assured. He then put a devious grin on his face. "However, I think I deserve some fun tonight", he admitted, before he pulled her close and began tickling her again, eliciting another squeal once more.

_I love her. I will always love her. And I will wait for a thousand years for her if that is what she wishes._

Edward looked at Starfire and said, "That says a lot. I know I kind of teased you two when you asked about the ritual, but, for Solor to respect that you're still a virgin gains my utmost respect, Koriand'r. I am happily impressed with both of you."

Her response was to blush madly, though. Edward raised an eyebrow as he knew from his Starfire that modesty was not common with her people, but, chose not to embarrass her further.

Both Ravens also respected how embarrassed Starfire was and didn't have to pipe up.

"My son is showing a lot of restraint," his mom's avatar said. "It's something he's learned on his own. Don't get me wrong, Starfire of Tamaran, he is showing you how deep he loves and respects you in being willing to wait. When you are truly ready, it will be a time you two will cherish for the rest of your lives."

Edward, though, knowing that this was the most recent GOOD memory of Solor's said, "Brace yourselves. I fear that what we will see next will be Solor's descent into a very dark place. Starfire, I know how tough you are truly capable of being. This is what Solor will need when we get to where we can interact. Right now, it's still OK for you to show your worry and your fear for him. We will be here to be your rock. In your limited time in my home, you saw how Rachael and I lean on each other. Please, for now, lean on us to be your strength."

That said, the memory playback faded once more. What happened next would shake a Tamaranian, two half-demons and an immortal Dragon to their souls.

It would not be fun from here on out...


	3. Solor's memories, Part Two

**[Chapter 3 - Med Bay]**

Sol was watching with intent as the four continued their work. While there were no outside signs of duress or stress, he knew they must be going through memories that Solor would allow them to see. He wondered which memories of himself would be present. Would he show them the time they went to feudal Japan and learned the art of the sword? Or perhaps one of the trips to England? Sol sighed. He was only fooling himself. He knew which memories would be present.

_I have made up my mind! I will NEVER be your heir!_

_Then fall to the humans. Know that if you kill a single one, I will hunt you down and kill you myself._

Sol winced at the harshness of his own words. Now that he was alone, it was alright to reveal his emotions. To be truthful, Sol wished he could take back every word he said to his son. He saw now how righteous he was, and would give anything to make him the next Grand Light of the Circle once again.. He might make the world even better than any Circle before them.

"Um... sorry, am I interrupting something?" came a young voice. Sol jumped slightly, turning to see Cyborg in the doorway. Sol looked a little flustered, surprised that he was caught off guard so easily.

"No, of course not. Come in." He motioned the metal teen over, and looked down at his son. "In all my years... I have never seen Solor look so peaceful and so weak at the same time. Even when he was a whelp, he always held his head up, tall and proud, even when he slept. Now... he is broken. Earth was wrong about him."

"Well, being violated like that would probably break even the strongest will", said Cyborg. "I should know. I used to be the most popular kid at my school. Then the accident happened and... well, let's just say that my personality changed a lot for a while."

"Understandable. Having parts replaced with plastic or metal... it is not unheard of in Lair. But we tend to avoid using prosthetics. They can lead to complications."

Cyborg looked curious, and Sol smiled. "If you have any questions, feel free to ask."

"Well... I gotta admit, there's a lot of things I wanna know. How long have dragons been around?"

"Since the creation of this world. Once the First calmed the elements, and in turn, the elements created us, we knew right away that our job was to keep this world in balance. The first Circle was born just before the dawn of the dinosaurs."

"Wow... so how long do dragons normally live?"

"Around two thousand years, give or take a few hundred", Sol answered, smiling sadly. "My mate lived to be fifteen hundred and forty-one. Needless to say, she was rather young... she grew ill when Solor was only five hundred, and grew weaker with time. She did not tell anyone though. While her body became withered, her heart was strong, and she could not bear saddening both my son and myself."

Cyborg thought a moment, then finally asked what he really wanted to know. "So... what was Solor like as a kid... err, whelp... hatchling?"

Sol laughed a bit, and shook his head. "Sadly, I was not there for his early years. As I am the Grand Light of the Circle, my duties kept me from being a good father for him as a child." He turned to Cyborg, and smiled sadly. "I think it is time someone outside of Solor's blood should know about his past. If you wish, I will tell you about Solor's time in Lair. And if you wish, you may record this."

Cyborg, understanding the honor that was being given to him, silently started recording. Sol sighed once more.

"The story I am telling is that of Starborn 'Solor' of the Light. It begins seven hundred and fifty years ago, in a land you may have never heard of known only to us as Lair..."

It was a good thing that no one else was there. Now Sol could finally make peace with his sins as Edward, the Ravens, and Starfire began their final descent into Solor's psyche.

**[Solor's Mind]**

As the group traveled further into Solor's mind, it was obvious they no longer were in the happier memories. Bits and pieces of a few memories were found all around them, but claw marks showed that these memories were broken and unrepairable, seeing as they were only portioned.

"I think we're getting close to the source", said Rachel. "Keep an eye out, everyone. We don't know if Solor's defenses will let us go further without a fight."

Edward nodded, as did Starfire. Raven, meanwhile, was keeping an eye on Iilahkun, who was still following them.

"What could we expect?" Edward asked her.

"I don't know," Raven replied, "Judging from the memories that are scarred, it's safe to assume that possibly Solor was drugged. Nothing here is intact."

"Moonlight?" Edward asked, "You knew Solor the best when you were alive, is there anything that you can tell us? How will his mind react now that we're past the good times and the darker times before the Grand Light and Solor had this rift? Will this stay as just a playback or will we have to convince him to help? How dangerous will this be?

"The reason I am asking is my priority is protecting my mate if something comes our way that she cannot handle. I know Starfire and the second Raven will have each other's backs as well."

"The biggest concern I have," Iilahkun said, "Is with Kreinyol. As you've already put together, this Dark Dragoness assumed her form and convinced him that she was ready. They mated and she reverted to her true form. But, the time he spent in their clutches broke his willpower. Earth was wrong."

Edward recalled what the leader of the Earth Clan said and nodded in agreement.

"He was messed with by Mad Mod and Slade as well into thinking that we were his enemy," Raven pointed out. "I wonder if that had anything to do with now."

"It's possible," Edward said, "That's his weak spot, I fear. Get into his head and we're seeing the results. The only difference is that we're in his head to help him, not hurt him. I just hope that things don't get to the point where memory constructs are not just not 3-D images that are harmless and are turned to something a lot harder to deal with. Would he accidentally wipe out part of who Solor is? Or worse, erase his feelings for Starfire?"

"I hope not," was the grim reply, "He hasn't even let me in to see, he's so ashamed of what happened. His pride is shattered and he fears that he is mated to the dragoness instead of Starfire."

"That cannot be!" Starfire said, anger tinting her voice, "Solor is mine and I am his. I will fight this dark being if I must."

"You certainly have the right to the revenge," Edward said after a moment, "I know that neither of you will cheat on the other intentionally, and I would kick Solor's rump if he ever did, and I know Raven here would kick yours if you cheated on him. Then again, Cyborg would act as well, I think. He's just as protective as you two in any universe, looks like."

The scene shifted again, though. This time, the memory looked intact enough to view and digest.

Solor was waking up, it seemed. And he looked rather surprised as he looked around into his surroundings. "The Dark! Where did they-"

"They are gone", said a familiar voice, and everyone turned to see Starfire sitting in a chair nearby. "You are safe, Boyfriend Solor."

Solor visibly relaxed upon seeing his girlfriend, but something didn't sit well with him. Something was saying to fear her, to kill her. And he quelled that thought almost immediately. "Kreinyol... you are here... did you and the others find me?"

"It took some time, but yes, we did", said Starfire. "I was most worried about you. They did not harm you, did they?"

"Of course they did..." Solor said. "I was knocked out during our mission with Brother Blood... they hurt me, tried to kill me... but my scales are too hard, and their flames are too weak." Solor smirked. "They tried, but none can match my might."

"No, they can't", Starfire giggled, whilst the real was fuming. "Now, you are safe back in Titans Tower. And... I must admit, I thought a lot about you while you were missing."

"Oh?" Solor asked. "And what did you think about?"

"Your touch", came the sultry reply. "The way you excite me. I was so lonely those nights... and I swore that I would get you back. And now, now that I have you... I want to be yours, and yours alone."

Solor gulped, noticing that she was swaying her hips as she approached him. A nagging feeling hit him in the back of his head, but he ignored it. "K-Kreinyol, my love... are you s-saying...?"

"Indeed, my love", came the fake Starfire's reply. "I am ready to be your mate."

"B-But what of the others? Surely they will-" His words were silenced by her finger pressing against his lips.

"They are out", said the dragoness in disguise. "It is just you and I. Please... Solor... I need this. I want to be yours, as much as you wish to be mine. If we go through with this... I will never have to fear of losing you again. So..." she said, taking his hand and placing it on her heart, "what is your answer?"

Solor's reply was to crash his lips onto hers, pulling her onto the bed that he was on. She let out a surprised squeak, but soon returned the affection. After a few moments of fumbling, Starfire's uniform was seen flying across the room, along with Solor's shirt and shorts, as the memory began to blur, claws starting to tear through it. An anguished cry was heard in the mind of Solor, shocking the group.

"What is that?" Raven said once the scream was silenced.

"That was Boyfriend Solor!" Starfire cried out, looking around. "Are we close to him?! _**SOLOR**_!"

Edward, however, stopped her, and held her still. "Starfire, we can't. If we mess with anything now, while he's at his weakest, we could severely harm him! He may forget pieces of his life, or worse, his emotional bonds to all of us! We have to see this through!"

"No!" Starfire said, trying to pull free. "I cannot! I cannot see Solor go through with this, not while he needs me!"

Rachael used her powers to hold Starfire still, frowning. "I'm sorry, Starfire... but we need to know what broke him."

Starfire wailed in anguish, though. It was clear that Solor was protecting them from an X-Rated porno for some reason that only he knew. Edward's heart broke for his friend as he and his wife were forced to hold a very upset Starfire back.

He started to hum that calming tune again and again, it worked to calm the rage that she was feeling.

Finally, the memory began to focus, just as a cry of pure pleasure echoed throughout the mind of Solor. When it was focused once again, Solor and the fake Starfire were laying in the bed, tangled up in the sheets, and panting heavily, their faces and naked bodies flush and glistening with sweat. The real Starfire could only stare in a horrified defeat, watching the memory with utmost despair.

"Kreinyol..." panted Solor. "That was..."

"... Amazing", the dragoness said. "If I had known... it would be like this... I should have surrendered to you months ago." She then turned to look up at him. "But... you are not done. Do you not need to mark me?"

Solor nodded, and began reaching down with his claw. The real Starfire was watching, silently shaking her head, begging to herself to look away.

Then Solor stopped.

All of the alarms in his head returned with a vengeance.

_How did she know I was supposed to mark her as my mate?_

_How did she know where to find me?_

_How did she know what a Dark dragon looks like?_

_Oh no... I didn't..._

_I did._

Solor began to growl, and his eyes went from green to blood red, showing his utmost rage. "_**WHO ARE YOU?!**_" he roared, bringing his claws down and grabbing her by the hair, pulling her up as she let out a pained cry. "You are NOT my Kreinyol! I never told her I had to mark her as my mate!"

The fake Starfire, despite being in pain, grinned in triumph. "Ha! So you're not as dumb as you look, you goody two shoes!" She suddenly lashed out, striking him hard in the nose and actually breaking it. Solor howled as he let her go, falling back into the bed as he held his nose. "Still pretty dumb, though. You should have known I wasn't your precious bitch."

Solor winced, and sat back up, turning into his scaled form. "I won't ask again. Who are you?!"

"Seriously? I break your nose and you still have the nerve to ask the girl you just fucked who she is?" Starfire let out an evil laugh, as her voice began to morph and change, along with her body. Soon, black scales began to cover her body, and her hair turned just as dark as the night sky. Wings sprouted from her back, and a tail from the base of her spine. Soon, her transformation was complete, as Solor stared in horror. "I'm your mate, Starborn. Say hello to Vilea, Heir to the Darkness!"

Solor stared in horror at her, looking her up and down. "A-A Dark Dragoness?! I mated with a Dark Dragoness?!"

"Yep", came Vilea's true voice, an octave lower than Starfire's. "I can't believe you fell for it, you fool! Father told me to watch you two, and I thought that there was no way I could pull it off, but I did! And now, your part in the story is done." Vilea soon placed her hand on her "mate's" neck, beginning to squeeze. "But I suppose you want some answers. I'll give them to you, seeing as you're about to die.

"I'm sure you know of Trigon, correct? Well, with your return and that other Dragon's interference, we've decided the prophecy of the Gem will take too long. So, we're going to fast forward the plan. But in order to do that, we need the birth of the first true Twilight dragon. And we decided that you're the perfect father for such a beautiful abomination." She patted her stomach. "And, as you guessed, I'm the perfect mother. So, it was only a matter of watching you and your alien girlfriend, seeing how you interact, her mannerisms... and now that I have your seed, I can lay the egg that means the end of this world."

Solor was staring, choking, struggling to survive as she explained her story. He closed his eyes, trying to pull her arm away as she whispered into his ear. "Such a shame, though. If only you were a dark dragon... or better yet, a human. Then I could keep you as a toy. In fact..." The dragoness suddenly let him go, leaving him to cough on the floor. "I won't kill you. You're way too good to let go like that... I think I'll keep you. Work on you. Break you." She turned around. "Not that it'll take much. After all... even the Earth crumbles at the power of Darkness."

The door closed, and Solor's fate was sealed.

Day after day, he was forced to mate with Vilea repeatedly. She'd come to him when he least expected it, mainly in his sleep, to the point that he refused to sleep. But then she began to drug his food, and soon his water, until finally, after a week of torture, Solor's will finally broke.

The Light dragon lay there, on the floor, finally broken, when Vilea entered, letting out a disappointed groan. "Aw... have you finally had enough? After only a week?" She walked over, inspecting him. "Yep... you can't even function anymore. I wouldn't be surprised if you withered away." She turned away, and began to speak in the dragon tongue. "What use do I have for a Light mosquito that can't even fly anymore?"

The words struck a cord. Finally, Solor recognized her.

_Possess... Raven... Edward... Friend... help... escape... Escape. ESCAPE! NO MORE!_

As if a switch was flipped, Solor activated his Blessing of Light. But instead of using it to fight, he used it to run. He blew past Vilea, who was thrown into a wall by the wind he generated. Once she recovered, she let out an angry roar, alerting the rest of the dragons. But she was too late. Solor was loose, and making his way out of their hideout. Before anyone could react, he'd knock them out of the way, not attacking a single one, only thinking of his home, his friend that could help him, his one chance at freedom from this hell.

The scene faded, but the emotions hit them all like a wave, washing over them.

_Anger. He had been tricked. She took on the form of one he loved, and insulted her._

_Disgust. She was Darkness, and the egg she was going to lay would be an abomination._

_Despair. He had given up his virginity to Vilea. He could never take that moment back._

_Fear. Starfire... never... love... monster..._

Those four words kept echoing as the scenery faded, and finally, Solor's true psyche was visible. He was as thin as he was in reality, and he was murmuring to himself. He was trying desperately to pick up small shards of glass with human hands, constantly cutting himself but too far gone to notice or even care. He had gathered them all into a pile, but still there were tiny shards all around him, and the more he gathered, the more he seemed to fall into despair.

"What have I done?" he said aloud, his voice laced with the four residual emotions. "What have I done?"

Edward spoke up, "Solor?"

Solor looked up and saw the five guests there. His face twisted into rage as he realized his inner mind was breached. What was worse, though, he saw Starfire there and let out a roar.

"_YOU WILL NOT TAKE ME!_" he screamed.

"Solor," Edward said, "It's going to be all right. We know how bad you are hurting. We want to help you, like you asked us to. The First heard your prayers."

"How dare you blaspheme the First's name?!" Solor snarled, "The First has abandoned me to the Darkness."

"Boyfriend Solor," Starfire pleaded, "Please listen. I am in the love with you. Don't beat yourself up anymore. I am here now and I am real."

"You can't be real, Dark wench!" Solor growled, "You fooled me once, Traitor! You're not going to fool me again!" He moved to attack the group, morphing into his battle form.

Edward thought quickly and said, "Fire a starbolt, NOW! I'm the target." He risked morphing to his smaller dragon form and Starfire quickly realized that Vilea didn't have a Tamaranian's powers anymore than Edward could duplicate Terra's and fired a starbolt into Edward's side, garnering a grunt from the dragon.

Solor looked at the display and looked confused.

_Does Vilea know how to use Kreinyol's powers?_

_Could this be Edward willingly letting himself be hit with starbolts?_

_Am I seeing two Ravens?_

_Who is this other woman? She looks like ... my mother!_

Edward returned to him human form and looked at the shards and realized something.

"The shards," he said, "Represent Solor's remaining will, I think."

Rachael replied, "I think you're right. The question here is, how do we pick up these pieces?"

"We can't," Raven replied, "He has to do a lot of the work himself. But, we can help put these pieces back together in this sense: Show him that he is still loved. We were shown all these memories for a reason."

Solor was still confused. Was he imagining things or was this a dream? He stepped over to the group and looked at them closely. There was a black scorch mark where Starfire's bolt had hit Edward. He reached over to Starfire and as soon as there was skin to skin contact, Raven pointed at the shards and her jaw dropped!

The glass was starting to mend itself. Pieces were moving around like a jigsaw puzzle and the pieces were starting to come back together.

Solor went to Edward and said, "This isn't a dream, is it?"

"Yes and No," came the reply, "We are in your mind, yes, and to you, this is a dream. To all of us, this isn't a dream. We're only here to help you recover now."

"Where were you all before?" Solor asked.

"We were looking for you," Raven replied, "We're sorry that we couldn't get there in time."

Solor snorted, "Yeah, 'sorry'. That doesn't undo the damage done, does it?"

"No, it doesn't," Rachael replied, "I've had my mind and will just as broken before. I did not want the prophecy to come true, but, it did and I had to pick up the pieces to recover."

Solor, however, surprised them as he latched onto both Raven and Starfire. "I... I feel so violated", he said. "I do not know what to do... how to feel... but that week... I..."

Starfire placed a hand onto her boyfriend's back. "We are here for you. It is alright. Let it go."

At the prompt of Starfire, Solor's emotions finally broke the dam. He began to really cry for the first time in his life since his mother died. As the tears from his eyes hit the floor, the pieces of glass began to bring themselves together that much faster.

"I'm sorry", he said, his voice laced with sobs. "I'm so sorry, Kreinyol... I betrayed you. I've been... tainted... I was so desperate to mate with you, I ignored the warnings that my mind gave me...You must think I am a monster. If you hate me, I will understand someday."

Starfire smiled, and soon pulled Solor into a true hug. "It is okay, my love. I forgive you. You were tricked into the mating... and she violated you in ways I would never wish upon my enemies. The only thing that matters... is that you are sorry. You are not a tainted monster, Boyfriend Solor. And I will always love you."

Solor wept more, as the shards of glass soon formed together. It was then revealed that the pieces of glass were actually a part of a picture. In the center of the picture stood Solor, in his prime and standing tall and proud. Beside him were all the allies and friends he had made over the years. And apparently, something was supposed to be watching over them, as there was a shadow at the top of the picture, but no one filling the spot.

"It's not complete", Edward said, "but this must be what he values most. Solor, why did this break?"

Solor had finally calmed down enough that he could talk coherently, and he turned to Edward. "It is... precious to me." He placed his hand on the dragon in the picture. "I have met so many strange and wonderful people... and I feared that they would hate me. I did this to myself because I was so afraid of what my friends... my family would think if they knew I was weak enough to get tricked by Darkness."

Raven took her turn, and hugged Solor, surprising him. "Who told me that love is our greatest weakness and our greatest weapon?" she asked, her voice muffled slightly as she held tightly onto him. "Who told me that it wouldn't be the first time or the last that loving someone has gotten another into trouble?"

Solor thought back and realized it was he who said that to her a while back as he returned her hug.

Edward picked up the picture with extreme care, and saw himself, the Titans from his universe next to their counterparts (well, Nightwing was there, Robin was missing, but with room for him). His mom was there in a hybrid form, and he realized that the shadow was Sol.

By then, Rachael had also gone over and given Solor a hug as well, adding her stamp of approval.

"Please, don't remove these feelings," Solor pleaded with her, knowing that she would try.

"I won't," she replied, understanding why, "Just know that that you have to forgive yourself as well, Starborn."

"I do not know if I can," Solor wept, "I failed to control my baser urges and was raped so many times, I lost count. I've let my father down, again. And insulted the memory of my mother."

"Starborn," his mother said, surprising him, "it's all right. I have to forgive you because you are my son. I want to forgive you because it is the right thing to do. Didn't I teach you that love forgives all?" She went over and hugged Solor and that caused him to break down all over again.

Even Edward was moved and intentionally waited to go last, but, when it was his turn, he hugged Solor and said, "You've been through Hell, my friend. Forgive yourself, and, there's someone else you need to forgive and once that is done, this picture will be complete."

"I don't know if I can forgive him," Solor said.

"Your father cares about you," Edward said, "in our journey down memory lane, you reacted out of anger a few times, right? Words said in anger can be forgiven. Give Sol another chance to apologize. Didn't you tell Robin that he's a big enough Dragon to say 'I am sorry, please forgive my words.'"?

Solor replied, "I did. And he did, in his own way. I rejected that because he would not allow me to mourn."

"It's not too late," his mother said, "Sol cared enough about you to summon your friends from the other universe."

Hearing that brought more of Solor's pain to the surface. And as he finally vented that, he knew he would tell Sol that he would forgive him and tell him that, if he was found worthy again, he would be honored to be the Heir to the Light, the shadow in the picture cleared up a bit to reveal Sol. It wasn't totally clear, but, it was obvious.

**[Med Bay]**

Sol had spent the time telling Cyborg the story of Solor as well, and, while Cyborg was angry at how bad the conflict resolution failed, he kept his opinion to himself. Both were grieving the losses and for Sol, he knew that he messed up and needed to tell Solor that he was also forgiven. It was time to tear out that root of bitterness between father and son. The thing is: Would Solor want to hear the apology?

Solor's eyes opened slowly and slowly sat up. He saw Starfire, both Ravens and Edward there, still in their trances. Then, he saw Sol there and hung his head, not wanting to look at his father.

"Starborn," Sol said, "Look at me, son. I've made a terrible mistake. I want to apologize to you for all the pain you've gone through. I'm so sorry, my son, and I forgive you for everything."

Solor looked at his father in mild surprise and nodded.

"I am the one who needs to apologize, Father," he said, "I brought all this on myself. Father, I'm so sorry, for everything. And, I forgive you. When I am allowed to return, I would want to be the Heir to the Light again."

Sol nodded, "I would be honored to have you back as my rightful heir. I never heard those words spoken in anger and grief."

**[Mindscape]**

The picture of Sol fully reappeared as Edward and the others watched. Edward smiled and realized that it was time to depart. The mission was quite successful and that put Edward's mind at ease.

"I think it's time," Edward said, "We've done all that we can here. The picture proves it."

"You are right," his mother said as they found themselves back in the initial cave, but, this time, there was only one route available and that was back to their bodies.

"Thanks for your help," Raven said.

Edward gave Solor's mother a hug and said, "If I am allowed, I will visit your grave and pay my respects."

"I would like that," she said, "But, you need to be going. You all will be needed in the waking world soon."

"Farewell," Starfire said and headed back to her body, the others right behind her as the cave closed up. They would not be going back anytime soon.

**[Med bay]**

The four returnees opened their eyes and broke the circle.

"What a trip," Edward said with a smile.

Solor looked at his friends and gave a weak smile in return.

"Thank you," he said, "For everything."

"Thank your dad," Edward said, "He was the one who had Rachael and I summoned."

Solor's face paled as he realized that Trigon was coming, and sooner than expected.

"Get Robin and the others," he said.

Cyborg got up to get the others and returned in a few moments.

After seeing that Solor was awake and actually responsive, they were floored with what Solor said.

"Trigon is coming."

"Edward, didn't you say that we had until Raven's 18th Birthday? That's not for another year or more!" Robin objected.

"In my team's history, yes, that's true," Edward replied, "From what we know, when Raven opened the Tear of Oblivion to recover Solor and Starfire, it accelerated someone's schedule. We need to prepare, now.

"Grand Light, I must respectfully advise you to alert the Circle and all Dragons in Lair...Prepare for war. Trigon is nobody to mess around with. I know from experience.

"But, how he will get here, I don't know. I killed him in my universe with my bare hands. No time to ponder that, though. Whoever is about to summon Trigon has a week's head start.

"Rachael, get hold of Nightwing and tell him that we are staying and get the instructions for that safe room they built. Tell them that Trigon is coming sooner than expected."

Sol said, "I will depart for Lair shortly, but, I would like you to accompany me. The Circle will need to get more information and, well, you and your mate are the only once that can be spared, correct?"

"Rachael needs to stay here, Sol, and help prepare the Teen Titans on what to expect. I shall go with you though. I've fought Trigon and got lucky there. But, between us, Sol...I will want something in exchange: Solor gets the Circle to allow him visits home, say, once or twice a year for a couple of days and to not get in the way of his romance with Starfire. I will fight regardless of the Circle's decision, though. This needs not be brought up to them."

Sol said, "I shall consider it, Edward. I don't know if they will agree to this, as the leader of the Death clan was furious. Starborn knows he was lucky he lived after that."

Raven, though, looked frightened for the first time in her life, a fact noticed by everyone.

"Guys," she said, "Just because Trigon was defeated in another universe doesn't mean he can be beaten here. He cannot even be injured."

"Trust me," Rachael said, "Father can indeed be hurt. Edward, would you..."

Edward nodded and said, "Sure."

His form shimmered as he shapeshifted to a small copy of Trigon, minus the horns.

"Edward never saw Trigon with his horns," Rachael explained, "When they battled, the horns had not even grown back. He's vulnerable to attack before he regains his strength." Edward morphed back as the extra set of eyes was disconcerting to him, to say the least.

"Once Rachael gets the information for Raven's safe room, she's going to have to use it. We need to-"

Solor shook his head, letting out a snort. "No. No safe rooms, no protecting Raven. They are not planning on using her... at least, as far as my... attacker, has said." He explained everything as best as he could. "Apparently, my whelp... the one that will be born of both Light and Dark... they are part of the key to summon Trigon. From what I understand, Raven's eighteenth birthday is going to take too long for them. They want Trigon here... now. And I think it will begin as soon as Vilea lays that abomination."

"Vilea?" Sol asked, furious. "So... it was the Traitor's spawn that raped you..."

"Yes", said Solor, finally coming clean. "During Brother Blood's attack on Titan's East, I was kidnapped, beaten, tortured... then one day, I awoke to find myself in what I thought was this very room of our tower. Vilea, disguised as Kreinyol, convinced me that my team had saved me, and that she was ready to become my mate. I may have given her a chance at an egg, but before I could mark her as my mate, she slipped up her disguise, and I found out who she was. She... she visited me many times, until my mind was so broken, I do not even know how I escaped." He turned to his father. "The Traitor... he's still alive, isn't he?"

"He never passed on his title as Grand Darkness", said Sol. "Likely... it is the same Dragon who staged a rebellion millions of years ago."

"Wait, whoa", Cyborg started. "I thought you said dragons don't live for more than a couple thousand years?"

"That is for basic dragons", said Solor. "The members of the Circle... they are immortal, in all meanings of the word. They cannot die until their title has been passed on. Grand Earth and Death are well over Edward's age."

Edward's jaw dropped, "You mean to tell me -"

"Yes, Edward, we are the ones who sent you to the other universe," Sol said. Edward found a chair and sat down.

"Are you all right?" Rachael asked.

"I don't know," Edward said. He was floored to know that not only were their other immortal dragons, but, that he was talking to one of those responsible for his entire life in another realm.

"Edward," Solor said, "There's no time for you to process or meditate on this. Vilea will be laying the egg within a week or two, maybe more than one! But, all it takes is one to hatch for a Twilight Dragon to be born. A dragon I will not want and the Circle may insist on it being killed."

"We'll worry about that later, Solor," Sol said, "Edward's right. The Circle must be appraised of the threat.

Solor piped up for a moment, though.

"Father, please, tell Grand Death that I am deeply sorry for attacking him and hope that he can forgive me someday. I know now that my actions were inexcusable. Granted, given how angry he was that day..." Solor rubbed his face, remembering how hot those flames were that day.

Solor nodded. "I will relay your message, my son. Edward... we must depart. I will cast the Tear that shall take us to Lair shortly. I do not know how long this meeting will last... the others may not be so willing to take on this threat themselves. Therefore... you may want to prepare for anything."

Edward nodded, "I'm as ready as I'll ever be. But, if there is time, I do have a personal favor to ask: I'd like to honor your mate."

Sol looked surprised but nodded, "That's doable. But, why?"

"Because the mate of the Grand Light should be honored," Edward replied.

Sol nodded and said in the ancient tongue, "Oo, Diist! Vos mii daal wah kolos faal Dovah lahney! Bex Nu! Luv do Oblivion!" [English: "Oh, First! Let us return to where the Dragons live! Open Now! Tear of Oblivion!"]

As they watched, the Tear opened and Sol said, "Follow me, Edward."

"I'll be back, folks," Edward said, and gave Rachael a quick hug and followed Sol through the Tear.

After they emerged, Edward looked around in renewed awe as the scene he saw in Solor's mind did not do justice to what he saw. Dragons of all sizes were flying around, but, still keeping to their own types. An Earth Dragon was resting in a mountain and, to Edward's eye, it was likely the same one from Solor's memories.

"Welcome Home, Edward," Sol said warmly, "I would like you to follow me to the Circle, but, we'll stop at my mate's resting place first."

Edward went to his usual dragon form and as Sol also went to his dragon form, they took to the air and headed towards a secluded spot.

It took some time, but, eventually they landed at a spot covered with rocks and a headstone that read "In Memory of the Light of the Moon."

Edward knelt down and he said, "You will not remember me. But, I wanted to pay my respect and honor your life. I am a friend of Starborn's from the human world and he has learned to calm his anger, thanks in part to his love for you and for another who could not be here.

"Starborn is still exiled from his home, I regret to say. But, he finally granted your last request and forgave your mate, and Sol has also forgiven him as well. Sol and I have to tell the Circle some bad news, though, but, I will say that I see your son's exile ending one day. Moonlight, you would be so proud of the fine Dragon he's become. And, thank you. I know it will sound weird, but he's learning to channel his rage and to fight for another instead of himself.

"May you Rest in the Peace of the First."

Edward looked at Sol and said, "Thank you."

Sol, who had not visited his mate's resting place since Solor told him where to stick it, nodded and said, "I need to visit here more often."

"If we don't stop Trigon, there won't be another chance, Grand Light," Edward said.

"That serious?" Sol said, the threat sinking in further.

"Yes, it's world ending serious. Pay your respects, Sol," Edward suggested, "I know that you probably did not get to because of your problems with Starborn."

Sol went to his mate's grave site while Edward respected the elder dragon's privacy.

Five minutes later, Sol returned.

"We must hurry," Sol said.

The two dragons took wing and headed for the dormant volcano in the distance for a meeting that would change the course of an entire species that pre-dated the dinosaurs.


	4. Edward and the Circle

**[Chapter 4]  
[Lair's Center]**

When Sol and Edward arrived at the center of Lair, a long dormant, probably extinct volcano, Sol said, "It will take some time for the others in the Circle to arrive, so, I will go over the protocol with you.

"First, I will begin the meeting. Each member of the Circle will ask questions. While I would think that given your age that the others would see you as a peer, unless they say otherwise, you may want to avert your gaze. I will give you my permission to look upon me. You've earned that right. Don't phrase things as demands. Like you have done with me in showing proper respect, do the same with the others. This is a debate with some Dragons far older than either of us. You will have to convince them all to devote troops to the battle.

"If necessary, will you lead?"

"Absolutely," Edward replied after a moment, "I have served in many military campaigns back home. I prefer to let other strong leaders have their time to shine, but, I will lead. I think you've already sensed that about me."

"I have, Edward. I do have a question, though. How should you be addressed in our language?" Sol asked.

"Funny you should ask. Solor gave me the unofficial name of Kiinnum," Edward said.

"Born Unique," Sol said, "It is very fitting. Solor chose well. Finally, use our language, and not of the humans unless there is a word that we do not have."

"Understood," Edward replied, "I assume I should stay in my native dragon form?"

"Absolutely," Sol replied, "The others will see it as respecting and honoring tradition. It will go a long way to getting their trust. And, yes, you will have to gain their trust. They may question you about Raven's heritage. From what Solor told me, you're defensive about her. Don't take any questions or comments personally. We have to look at the big picture, and, well, Raven is part of that. Especially since there are two here, the Circle may be very concerned with that. Keep a level head in your arguments. This is a lot like a human court, I suppose."

Edward thought for a moment and said, "I understand. Some of Solor's memories were in this very chamber. One where he was named Heir of the Light. The other was his trial. For what it's worth, Sol. I would have voted to work with him to tame his anger without the banishment aspect. Maybe kept him away from the population. However, that is in the past, I know."

He sighed, "I'll admit that I was outraged seeing that. But the Raven of this universe reminded me that my anger is utterly pointless. She's right, though.

"I got to know my Raven after Trigon's invasion on my world, so, she already had freed emotions. But, the Raven here has so much potential that she has not even tapped, it's not funny.

"She's a Dark person, Grand Light, but, she uses her powers for the greater good. In both universes, she was trained by a woman named Azar and that's why she's unemotional and creepy. In my universe, she serves the same role that Starfire of Tamaran does for your son. She calms me when needed to, to prevent my anger from exploding. You need not worry about that coming into play here. I am the guest here in Lair, only invited due to necessity."

Sol replied, "You are an equal, Edward. You have earned that right. I've seen a little on Raven and it's clear that she does her best to stay away from the Dark."

"I do wish that Solor's exile could be lifted, just for today," Edward said, "But, I know Grand Death would object to that. He was, well, pissed that Solor attacked him. I can't say I blame him, but, if it's the will of the First, I will hope that he forgives Solor someday."

"Give my colleague time," Sol said, "The others will be more willing to forgive. My reports to the Circle have been well-recieved, but, we will have to rely on you alone here."

"I am ready when you are, Grand Light," Edward said.

Sol walked over to a rope and pulled on it several times, causing a deep sounding gong to sound throughout the chamber and into the land itself.

The gems lining the various caves started to glitter in the light as the other members of the Circle arrived and took up seats in front of their caves, save for Grand Earth who took in the proceedings from the side, as he was simply too large to fit anymore.

"This meeting of the Circle," Sol began in the native tongue, "is to determine the fate of not just Lair, but, of the world itself. The Circle will recall the warning passed to us from Starborn several months ago. I have received confirmation of this warning from an unlikely source who took Starborn in recently in another Universe. This source has agreed to speak to the Circle about the threat facing Dragons and mortals alike. We all know this source, though, having used a Tear of Oblivion to protect him 3,000 years ago. He has thrived since then in this alternate universe. He goes by the human name of Edward Barnes, but, was recently given the unofficial name of Kiinnum by Starborn."

Edward looked around and began.

"Exalted and most honorable Circle. Thank you for allowing me to return to the land of my hatching and the opportunity to speak to you today. My sincerest apologies for asking for an emergency meeting, however, the Grand Light agreed that this is of vital importance.

"I come with a warning that war is coming and it is inevitable. Starborn recently told Grand Light that 'darkness extinguish light' in order to warn you. At the time, he was not certain what his future self told Starfire of Tamaran, and I am certain that I can fill in this blank spot.

"In my universe, a being called Trigon the Terrible attempted to take over Earth and almost succeeded in that conquest, save for one reason: His daughter, Raven, gave a piece of her power to each of the Teen Titans, preventing them from being petrified along with the rest of the population of Earth. After a long battle, Robin rescued Raven from Hell and while she was reverted to a child and powerless, she discovered that not only could Trigon be injured, she rediscovered her powers and banished Trigon back to a place called Azarath. In doing so, she also restored Earth to the state it was prior to his attempt.

"After I joined the Titans, Raven and I fell in love and during that time, Trigon's sons made another play to gain power and potentially bring Trigon back. Trigon destroyed the land of Azarath before his attempt, leaving only Raven's mother alive to tell the tale.

"His sons managed to kidnap me and transport me to another dimension as well as rendering my abilities useless until I was able to outwit one of them into absorbing enough of the power from my bindings where I could escape.

"Trigon and I fought after I fought my way out of the dungeon I was held in and during that battle, the building collapsed, killing Trigon's remaining portals. I killed him there and risked Raven's life and mine in a dimensional teleport as she located me before the fight.

"Little did I know, though, is that Trigon transported part of himself into Raven's mind and almost turned her evil. The Titans and I went into her mind and we hit him with everything we had. It was futile until my then girlfriend revealed that she was corrupted. In the haze of my own anger, when she captured me in her soul-self, I thought she was gone. My anger exploded outwards and shattered her attempt to take me down. I think the shock of that freed her from her father's influence as I gave into the rage that consumed me. Trigon found out that enraging an immortal dragon can be fatal. In my universe, Trigon is supposed to be dead.

"How he managed to escape, I do not know. That doesn't matter, though. He is about to be summoned ahead of this universe's history. If that happens, he will stop at nothing to take over this world and then other sentient worlds like Tamaran. He will consume souls of mortals and dragon alike.

"I am aware that you wonder how I know this, members of the Circle. I have the unfortunate duty to tell you that there will be a Twilight dragon hatching at some point. Starborn was kidnapped about two weeks ago during a fight with Brother Blood. When he awakened, he was tricked into mating with a Dark Dragoness. He saw through the deception, but, it was too late. They mated, but, he did not mark her. That's where she slipped up as Starfire should not have known that little fact or what a dark Dragon looks like. What she did to him in the intervening week was an abomination: She raped him, repeatedly and finally shattered his will. I'm sorry, Grand Earth. You were somewhat wrong in your assessment."

That got the members of the Circle to talking before Earth said, "What do you mean? You were not here when we pronounced Starborn as the next heir."

"After Starborn was found by his mortal friends, he was catatonic," Edward explained, "As you may know, Grand Light had to go and examine his son and determined that Starborn was raped in body, mind and soul. He asked Kreinyol to contact me and my Raven. After we came to help Starborn, we went into his mind. That is, my Raven, the Raven of this universe, Kreinyol, and myself. We saw a lot of his memories in the process, including when he was a whelpling being considered to be Grand Light's heir.

"We also saw his darkest days. His overreaction to Grand Death's visit and his trial in this very chamber. Then, his rejection of Grand Light's attempt to apologize for his words.

"But, Grand Death, I have a message for you from Starborn: 'I am deeply sorry for attacking you that day and humble myself to ask for your forgiveness. I know my actions were inexcusable, and I deeply regret them.'"

Grand Death looked at Edward and said, "I cannot blithely overlook Starborn's affront to my person. An attack on a member of the Circle is an attack on us all. How do we know Starborn is not trying to reduce the sentence of the Circle?"

"Sir," Edward replied, "Starborn is merely apologizing and asking for forgiveness. He knows that he committed an offense that if another dragon did would merit execution. He is accepting of his punishment. I know he speaks truth. The inner psyche cannot lie. Before he returned home from my universe, I recorded a message for you informing you my thoughts about Starborn and how he has changed. What I said then still stands: I am not advocating for his sentence to be lessened. I have no standing in that matter at all, a fact I acknowledge to all of you. Yes, Starborn has changed for the better since he started seeing Kreinyol. If memory serves, he even volunteered to remain exiled until she dies. It's a win-win for everyone: he gets to maintain his relationship with someone he loves; the Circle does not have to reconsider his punishment for several decades; and, when he is allowed to return, the Circle can determine his mate in accordance with tradition."

Grand Death looked at Edward with a stern gaze and said, "I will not allow a breed traitor to come back to Lair. I was against allowing this pointless relationship to continue and still oppose it. There is a reason we enforce this law."

Edward took a breath to steady himself.

"I respectfully disagree, Grand Death," he said, "In the universe you placed me into, there are no other full blood dragons. During that time, I had relationships with three mortals. One was when I was about Starborn's age. She was Callisto, a Greek Warlord. During the time I knew her, I tried to her with her redemption and for a few years, her and I raised a human child. He was a precious child who died in a thunderstorm when lightning struck a tree and that tree flattened out home. Sadly, her mind was unable to cope with the loss. She snapped and went back to her dark ways while I mourned. I did not find out until late 1750 that she had become a minor goddess. But, due to circumstances beyond my control, I discovered she had killed herself with a hind's blood laced dagger. I mourned her loss for a long time. By the middle of the 18th Century, I had become engaged to a woman named Paula and we were able to have a child together. Her DNA and mine, being reptilian at the base, was compatible. She was a shapeshifter, but, limited to reptiles only.

"Finally, I am currently married to Raven: A half-human, half-demon. My universe's Kreinyol is in a recently repaired relationship with Nightwing - Robin. And Beast Boy, another shapeshifter is engaged to Terra, a geomancer. The love between these couples and my love for Raven is so strong that nothing's going to get in the way of that.

"The love between Kreinyol and Starborn is just as strong. It's what helped him come out of his catatonia earlier today. Without that, I would not be here, ready to plead the case to you that preparations must be made now. Vilea..."

The mention of that name got shocked responses from the group.

"That means that Grand Darkness never gave up his title after we banished him forever," Grand Fire said.

"Likely so," Sol replied, "But, please, let Edward finish."

"Thank you," Edward said, "Vilea is the one who repeatedly raped Starborn and shattered his will. She almost killed him in the process and she is the one who possessed the native Raven. She forced Raven to cast a Tear of Oblivion that sent him to my universe. At the time, she could not have cast that spell on her own. Grand Light will remind you that he had to help her cast it to get him home. But, she said that because Starborn actually returned, it forced Grand Darkness to move his plans up. When this happens, the planet's life will be snuffed out in an instant. Every man, woman, child, dragon, whelp, hatchling, animals and plants will be petrified as surely as if they looked at Medusa herself."

The other dragons looked at Edward and he could tell that they would debate the matter while there was still time and braced himself for a battle of wills. This time, though, it would be a debate with beings either close to his age or older than him, so, he would have to navigate some dangerous waters carefully.

Speaking of Waters, the leader of the Water spoke up first. "If this Trigon is indeed invading our world, then we must do something to stop him, should we not? He is a big fish in a little pond; he shall surely eradicate our very way of life."

"And protect humans?" said Fire, her opposite. "They are weak, and overpopulated as it is. Perhaps it is time the age of Mortals ends?"

Life snarled. "How dare you! They may be overpopulated, but it is not for us to decide whether or not Trigon is allowed to eradicate them. And from what our prodigal son says, then he shall not only kill humans, but animals, trees, every aspect of Life. This cannot be allowed."

Earth nodded. "But the Earth shall stay, and once Trigon leaves our world to conquer another, Life will begin once again." He sounded wise, but it was differently implicated.

"You are suggesting we do nothing?" asked Death. "You suggest we allow Trigon's curse on our land run its course, and allow him to move on and destroy someone else's home while we rebuild?"

Light frowned. "That is not the way of the Circle."

"And what Kiinnum says is what we should do?" Death countered. "We do not interfere with the ways of the mortals. We suggest, we imply. We do not command or defend. They are merely a part of the First's design. Perhaps it is time that they die? Perhaps this is the will of the First?"

Light was frowning more and more. "And what of my son? What of the thousands of dragons that lie in hiding in the mortal realm? Will they die?"

"We shall call them back, of course", Life said. "My mate is correct. While I do not like letting the humans die, my children can rebuild what they have destroyed. We can start anew, and with that, make new traditions, allowing us to keep the ecosystem in balance."

Fire seemed keen on the idea, as did Water. So far, it seemed to be four against three, with Earth, Light, and Edward against the idea.

Sol snarled. "You cannot be serious?"

Earth grumbled. "This is not the way of the Circle. We do not interfere, but we do not merely do nothing."

"Silence, you rock", said Death. "Your way of punishing is to be patient. To let them wait until the mere fear of punishment makes them break and beg for forgiveness. You do not act. You only wait."

"Perhaps the time for waiting is over", said Sol. "Perhaps Earth is ready to put his strength to use; to fight Trigon the Terrible and put an end to this war with Darkness?"

"There cannot be any victory against Darkness", said Life. "So long as the Traitor keeps his title, he will never give up. He will never cease his attacks until we can no longer continue to bolster our defenses."

"Then you are saying it is pointless?" Sol roared.

"That is exactly what we are saying", said Fire.

Sol couldn't believe what he was hearing; his own friends, whom he's had the pleasure of serving the First with for thousands of years, have turned against him. Only Earth stood by his side, and without a strong enough argument, they would not be able to convince the others to go to war.

Edward was dismayed as well, but, unknown to the Circle, Edward was letting Rachael eavesdrop on the whole proceedings. And Raven was in the loop since the mind-link was on the same wavelength.

"Exalted Circle, " Edward said, "I say that dragonkind must make an exception. I have spent my entire life doing one of two things: Helping the mortals or hiding among them in plain sight. And for most of my life it was the latter. Why? Because of what mortals here did to someone's whelpling, a son or a daughter. How many dragons died because of the mortal prejudices of the past?

"And, like you, I do not tell humans what they should do on a wide scale. I suggest a course of action and hope that the advice is taken. My goal is to guide the folks into a brighter future.

"This will pale by comparison. Allow me to paint you a picture. Imagine every mortal petrified forever. Imagine every thing that lives petrified. The sky blood red, the air choked with gloom. No life anywhere and none possible as the souls trapped in stone are eventually consumed by Trigon.

"Imagine, Grand Water, the oceans, rivers, lakes, streams all turned into seas of lava. Grand Life, there would be no life at all. Nothing to rebuild because this would be Trigon's base of operations. He would send minions through his version of a Tear of Oblivion to conquer the known universe.

"Grand Fire, picture if you will fire demons, driven by Darkness to burn all that they touch, without mercy. Their sole purpose: Destroy and incinerate everything that remains burnable. To burn those souls to be devoured by Trigon.

"Grand Earth, master of the ground. Imagine every tree, every blade of grass frozen in stone.

"Grand Death, there would be nothing for you to do. You would not have any dragon here to visit and deliver the same news that caused my brother in arms Starborn to lash out in anger and disbelief. Why? Because ALL OF YOU WOULD BE PETRIFIED!

"This isn't a matter of interfering with the mortal world, this is a matter of preserving the species itself. This is a matter of maintaining the balance. Darkness has been waiting for eons to take over. Don't let it. Please understand that where I come from, the First is called God by the humans and I do not think his will is for every creation of his to be destroyed and every soul He created be devoured by Trigon. Every soul to the First is precious. All life is precious to the First, is it not? You cannot walk away because all life would cease to exist and even if you were somehow to protect yourselves from this fate, when you emerge, Trigon would still be here and there would be nothing to rebuild. Darkness would win. Darkness extinguishes Light.

"I believe that the First would not will His creation to be destroyed in such a manner. You all are here to maintain balance. Fire and Water, Light and Dark, Life and Death. Trigon would destroy this balance and that would end your very reason to be here."

Edward thought for a moment before continuing.

"Behold the face of the enemy!" he said and morphed back to Trigon's form, this time, Rachael showed him what the antlers looked like.

"Do you want the First's creation destroyed by this Abomination?" Edward said using Trigon's voice, "Because unless you act...unless you prepare. Darkness shall win."

Despite the discomfort of four eyes feeding information into a brain designed for two eyes, Edward stayed in Trigon's form for a few moments to let the Circle see the face of the enemy.

[It's going to be an uphill fight,] Rachael said over the link, [They've lost so many of their kind to humans that some of the Circle are holding grudges and see humans as something to be rid of.]

[I gathered that, my dear,] Edward replied, [Right now, it's Sol, the gigantic Earth Dragon and myself against the others. Are you keeping the others updated?]

[I am,] she replied, [Solor is the one who said you will have to really convince them.]

[I see,] he said.

He reverted back to his dragon form, thus relieving the discomfort in the process.

Life and Death looked at each other. The male Death shook his head, but Life looked convinced otherwise. "I move to vote on the matter."

"I second that motion", said Water.

"Motioned, and seconded", said Sol, smiling. He knew now there was no way Death could keep them from sending troops. "Let it be known that with the end of the voting process, we are either all in or all out. What say you, Life?"

"I vote for War", said Life, surprising. "Many lives will be lost. But so much more will be if we allow this... thing to control our world."

"What say you, Death?"

"Defend Lair", says Death. "This is not our war. This is the war of a fledgeling race that has caused so much suffering to everything else around them."

"What say you, Fire?"

"War", said Fire. "Trigon shall burn for threatening us."

"What say you, Water?"

"War." Water, a serpent-like dragon, revealed her full body as she uncoiled, standing in an aggressive stance. "To protect this world, and all others."

"What say you, Earth?" When there was no reply, Sol turned to the Earth's cave. "Grand Earth?"

All of a sudden, the mountain began to crack. The dragon broke free from his bonds of the mountain, as he stood at his full height, dwarfing the other dragons greatly. "Let there be war", he roared. "This world is ours, and no one else's!" The mountain crumbled, covering everyone in dust.

"Then it is decided", said Light, smirking. Sol took to the air, and called out in the natural tongue to all of the dragons, now that the mountain the Circle was held in for so long was destroyed.

"Dragons! For too long we have stayed hidden! Too long have we fought the desire to be seen! Too long we have laid in hiding, fearing the Darkness! Today, we take the fight to them! Let Darkness fear the combined might of the Circle! Darkness will not extinguish the First's will! Trigon, our new enemy, will have no hold over this world! We shall spread to the four corners of this world, and hunt down the Traitor and make him face justice!

"The days of hiding is done! The Dawn of the Dragons has begun!"

With that, many roars of approval were heard throughout Lair, and many dragons began to fly into the air, swirling and covering the land with shadows as they began to gather. They were soldiers, ready for the war, as they gathered at the Circle's feet (mainly Earth's).

The War on Darkness had just been declared.

Edward looked around, after brushing off the dirt and dust from Grand Earth's destruction of their volcano and said, "Grand Death, I do not expect you to agree, but, you are wrong. Withholding your troops would be a mistake. I would suggest that, with the utmost respect, that you do Defend this wonderful land. Defend Lair. Troops should always protect their homeland, and, if Grand Darkness takes part in the battle, leaving Lair defenseless would be a great loss to you all."

Edward reported via the link that the Circle had declared War against Trigon and against Darkness. Unlike in his universe where the Titans only ally was Deathstroke the Terminator, this time, the Teen Titans had powerful allies. Edward would always remember this day no matter how the battle played out.

He looked up at Grand Earth with respect and awe. Solor was right. Grand Earth looked a lot like Godzilla, but, dwarfed his Universe's King of the Monsters.

"Thank you, one and all," Edward said enlarging to his 150 meter full size, "For believing in me. I am humbled that you chose the hard path. I spend most of my life with the humans, and, they deserve this help. In my world, they have grown to accept me as I truly am. They know that I take War seriously. And, fellow dragons, the mortals of this world will hopefully see that Dragons will protect them when needed. There is no need to interfere in their affairs unless there is no other choice. Today, there was no other choice. We must prepare. Darkness doesn't know that they have lost the element of surprise. We must claim this element for ourselves. I offer myself to help lead this battle, but, I need strong generals by my side as well. We begin today. We begin now! Dragons...TO ARMS! May the First bless our attempts to protect His Creations!" His spinal ridges flared a brilliant white that grew in intensity until power crackled between them and with a mighty blast, he shot into the air a tremendous lightning blast that created a peal of thunder that shook the ground as much as Grand Earth's voice.

Several dragons watched the display of power, and were rather impressed. Many stepped forward. An Earth walked up, standing next to Edward. He was only a few meter's taller, so it was obvious this was a much younger Earth dragon. "I am Golmul, outsider. I see your power. You are much stronger than I, or many of the dragons of this Lair. I am stronger than many of my kind, but I have never seen the outside world. I will fight for you, if you will take me to the Realm of Mortals and allow me to bring the fight to Darkness."

As Golmul spoke, more dragons were beginning to approach Edward, both curious and somewhat afraid. They had never seen a Dragon like Edward before, and at the display of his power, they knew he would be a great leader. So, they all kneeled, averting their eyes. Sol noticed, and smiled. "I think they see you as though you are a member of the Circle, Kiinnum."

Water, noticing the crackling power in his spines, approached as well. "Kiinnum, you have difficulty with your breath weapons, do you not? You have combined the powers of Fire and Water to create Lightning... but that was not your strongest attack."

"The only time when there is major difficulty is using them at full power," Edward replied, "I'm used to it."

Sol nodded. "That is another reason Edward was brought here. As I mentioned, he is the very whelp that we have left in the other universe, the one we banished to save." He looked at Life. "I think it is time, Life, that you explain why he has our immortality, and the powers of all."

Life nodded, and approached Edward. "Well, my child... it has been a long time. You still have that glimmer in your eyes that I remember seeing when you were a whelp." She smiled lightly. "Your mother would be proud to see how strong you have become. She loved you very much."

Edward, while wanting to question how Life knew her mother, he opted to remain silent instead. There was a time to ask, and a time to listen. Something told him it was time to listen.

"Your mother was a Light dragon, that much is very true. But your father... well, that is where it gets complicated." Life sighed, looking away. "Your father... I do not know who he was. Or what dragon race he was. Your mother only ever laid one egg in her life. That was you. And that was after years of begging for an egg, praying to the First and making all sorts of bargains and sacrifices. Perhaps... you are the result of those prayers. Or perhaps... she took matters into her own hands. There are rumors that she claimed multiple mates, but no one ever came forward to claim you as theirs."

"Normally, Hybrids are impossible", said Light, continuing the story. "But it is believed, if their are enough parties involved... a true hybrid can be born as long as the distribution of genetics is even. There cannot be more Light than Darkness, or more Fire than Water, and so on. In the end, your mother began to raise you on her own, but then you breathed lightning for the first time. And it was obvious you were in pain.

"Before we could treat you, and begin to teach you how to breathe without hurting yourself, the Darkness made a bid at kidnapping you. They failed, and we had to send you to safety. But you are here... and now we can begin your training. When we are done with you... your power will rival the original Circle."

As Edward heard the story of how he was born, the tears flowed, but, they were tears of joy. He didn't remember his early years and to hear the story moved him more than anything else ever had. To hear that he was a miracle birth to a dragoness desperate for a hatchling was more than he could bear.

But, he knew that his duty to his species and to the humans he loves came first, so, wiping his eyes, he looked at the Circle first.

"I will look forward to being able to fire my breath weapons without the backlash. Sol, you are correct, I cannot use them at full power all the time without backlash that taxes my regeneration for a while. I need to teleport back to the Tower for a short while, but, now that I know where this is, you can focus your magic into defending Lair."

He looked at the Dragon who was averting his gaze.

"Golmul, look at me, please," he said, "It's all right. I am humbled by your show of respect and I would be honored to have you fight by my side, all of you. I am at a loss for words, though. You honor me by averting your gaze, yet, as you look around, you see the members of the Circle. They made the decision to go to war not I. I do not want to see this beautiful land destroyed any more than you do. I have no memories of this land, but, it is my first home.

"Grand Life...is there any chance that my birth mother is still alive?"

"No", said Life. "She came to us many times, begging us to bring you back. Or to send her to your world. She attempted to cast the spell without our permission." Life looked down. "Her body was never found... but if she is still among us... she is weak. She may be trapped in another universe, but she would be over 5,000 years old now. It is possible, however, that she sent herself to the future by mistake. She could end up anywhere, and if she did so... then there is hope." Life smiled. "She would be very proud of you... despite the fact that you would now be older than her."

"If she is in the future, I might be able to locate her," Edward said, "If she has joined the First, I shall have to mourn her after this war ends. Life, thank you for telling me this. If she is still here, though, I might be able to give her some of my strength."

"How?" Grand Death asked.

"By donating my blood to her, Grand Death," Edward replied, "It's one of the things I can do."

The members of the Circle looked at each other and it was one of "What did the First create?!" They were far too old and experienced to be shocked by much, but, deep down, even Grand Death was realizing that maybe Kiinnum was not just Born Unique, but sent by the First just for this purpose.

Sol eventually shook out of it. "Very well. Edward, I shall send you back to the Titan's Tower. When you are ready to begin your training, ask your Rachel to focus on this location in your mind, and we shall bring you back."

"And... Bring Starborn back", said Earth, shocking the others. "He knows more of this than any of us. We will need a strategy to attack Vilea and destroy those eggs before the first can be hatched."

Death was fuming, though. "Bringing that Breed Traitor back?! Have you gone daft?! He is forbidden from entering Lair!"

"Tradition would dictate that", said Life, chastising her mate. "But these are far from traditional times. We need Starborn and any other dragon. We must summon all of our children back to begin preparations. As far as we know, we only have two weeks to be ready."

Edward's eyes started glowing, showing his annoyance.

"Grand Death," he said, "With respect: You would allow your personal anger to cloud your judgment as much as Starborn once allowed his to erupt. I saw the fight between you and him in his memories. Yet, you are just as guilty of letting anger rule! I've been there and each time, I paid the price. My Titans were frightened of me the first couple of times that happened...when my wife was threatened, my anger would erupt. You have a right to your opinion, but, do not let Kreinyol hear you calling Starborn a breed traitor when he will demand the right to fight by my side because it will take me or Starborn to keep her from making a mistake that would tear apart this new alliance. Your mate has a very valid point. Starborn has spent more time with Vilea and if he can recover his shattered memories in time, that experience is more valuable to me than the gemstones at our feet. I am honored to call Starborn, son of Sol the Light of the Circle not just my friend, but, my brother by right! A temporary lifting of his banishment will show you that he had redeemed himself. Give him that chance."

Death grumbled, but said nothing more.

Sol nodded at Life, and quickly cast the spell, opening a portal besides Edward. "Return to your mate, Kiinnum. It may be the last time you see her until this ordeal is over."

"She will be fighting by my side, Grand Light. Her and the Teen Titans," Edward replied, "We will have it no other way. And I dare ANYONE to call me a Breed Traitor." Grand Death had made a miscalculation, but, he did not know that, yet.

Sol shook his head. "Edward... the Titans will fight the war, there is no doubt about that. But if you are to lead the dragons... we will need you on our front. Rachel may lead the Titans, if Robin will allow it. I recommend to her to find more allies. But as for us..." Sol sighed. "It may be for the best to focus on this. If you are with your mate... you shall be distracted. If your rage is as great, if not greater than Solor's... then both of you will fight alongside us. And Starfire and Rachel will fight among the humans. There cannot be any distractions, despite how much you love her and wish to be with her. I know she can hear what we are saying. I know you have gotten half of your information from her. And I know it will be hard to fight if you are worrying about her safety at all times. This is an enemy that you believe should be dead. If he survived your ordeal, he WILL try to use you and Rachel again.

"Therefore, we suggest keeping you as far away from her as possible. Trigon may not recognize you right away, and may not recognize his older daughter. He may try to use... 'our' Raven alone, or this Twilight whelp. And if he does, we will have an advantage."

Edward nodded his head, "Your logic is sound, my friend. If we can keep Trigon from knowing that Rachael is here, it gives us all a chance. In my universe, he stripped her of not only her powers, but, reverted her to a child. I would still expect that to happen to the Raven of this universe. And, you are right. She was tuned into the meeting and reminded me that the Circle is not some mortals I can merely glare at to get my way. She also told me what Trigon's antlers look like, as you knew from earlier I did not know that information. She had a right to know as well. But, she will understand where my duty lies. I will talk Robin into letting Rachael lead the resistance from the Teen Titans side. I know him well enough that even if he's an ass at times, he would allow one with greater experience to lead."

Edward noticed that Sol wanted to say something else, so, stopped talking to listen.

Sol noticed how Edward stopped, and smiled. "Thank you, Kiinnum. I would speak not only to your mate, but to the other Titans. I apologize for this intrusion..." He then closed his eyes, and when they opened, they were glowing white. [But I must speak to her without interference. Do not worry, I cannot keep this connection for long. Only enough to send my message.]

[Raven... both of you. Thank you very much for keeping an eye on my son. Starborn has always been... difficult. And I must thank you for teaching him how to meditate... how to control his emotions. He has become not only a great warrior, but a great speaker as well. He has grown up in ways I never thought he would. For this act, I am honoring you with a name in our tongue. And one day, after all of this is over... I would like to invite you and your friends to visit my home. It is rare for mortals to be allowed into Lair... but you Titans... you have more than earned. But remember... this honor will only be given if you survive. So try not to fall to Darkness. I would be most disappointed. May the First guide you in the world He has made for you, Ruvaak of the Titans.]

With that, Sol's eyes faded, as Death looked in shock. "You would invite mortals to our home?"

Sol looked over to Death. "You have a problem with that, brother?"

"No... it is just that... a mortal hasn't been allowed into Lair for thousands of years. What makes them so special?"

Sol smirked. "You have not met them, my friend. But they live up to their name as the strongest teenagers on Earth. They did what we could not: Tame Starborn. They treated him with the same respect Edward has given all of us...even you, brother. They show the potential that some of us have hoped for in humans. That is what makes them so special."

Edward raised his eyebrows. Had Sol asked, Edward would have granted Sol access anyway to the link. He had certainly earned that.

[Dear,] Rachael replied, [Tell Sol that the Teen Titans accept the invitation. Don't worry about me, either. I'll be fine with you leading the Dragons. The rest of what I want to tell you, I want to tell you in person. It's nothing bad, though.]

Edward smiled hearing that reassurance, "Rachael replied. The Teen Titans would be most honored to accept your invitation, Grand Light.

"I shall return as soon as possible."

"Go with the First, Kiinnum", said Life, as the Circle bade him farewell.

Edward took his leave of not just the Circle, but, the gathered soldiers who would now follow him into battle.

He stepped through the still open Tear of Oblivion and back into Titan Tower.


	5. Revelations, Recovery and a Reunion

**Chapter 5****  
****[Titan's Tower - Ops Center]**

Edward stepped out of the Tear of Oblivion and was back into his human form, having morphed in transit. He was instantly tackled not by his wife, but Starfire!

"Well, hello to you too," he said smiling.

Starfire said, "Your mission was successful, no?"

"Let me up, please," he said, "There is a lot that I must discuss and not much time, I fear." Starfire let him up and they all sat down at the big couch.

"As Rachael relayed to you all: The Circle has declared open war on Trigon and the Dark Dragons," Edward said, "In the end, only the leader of the Death Dragons voted against war, preferring to defend their homeland. But, after the vote was taken, I shot a full powered lightning blast after Sol announced that they were at war. Next thing I knew, many dragons were approaching me and averting their gaze, as if I were a member of the Circle!

"I'm the commanding general, looks like, of the Dragon's defense as the other dragons said that while I was an outsider, they would want me to lead them."

Solor said, "I am not overly surprised. Remember when I told you we respect strength in the broods?"

"Yes," Edward said, "That's exactly what happened. It was a show of respect. But, there's already been a price paid. Solor, the volcano where the Circle meets is no more. Grand Earth destroyed it when he agreed to go to war by merely standing up."

"Damn," Solor whistled, "He's the largest of all and for him to actually stand up and tear apart the center of Lair..."

"Rachael, did you tell Solor any good news right before I came back?" Edward asked.

"No, sweetheart. That's for you to tell him," she said.

"Starborn, Heir to the Light," Edward said, "I am delighted to tell you: Your banishment is over. Your presence is direly needed in this war as is your experience. This comes directly from Grand Earth himself. You see, the Circle is making an exception to the banishment rules. And, I would be honored if you would fight by my side, along with your brothers in arms."

"I bet the leader of the Death Clan objected to that idea," Solor said, "That old idiot still hasn't forgiven me."

"His objection was noted, but, Life talked him into a grudging acceptance," Edward said, "but, his biggest objection is highly prejudicial. He considers you to be a Breed Traitor as you feared. I suggested he keep that opinion to himself. I do not wish for our alliance to be sunk because Starfire decided to attack that Dragon.

"That reminds me: Star, I know how deep your love is for Solor, but, for the sake of all, when we all visit Lair when we defeat Trigon: Don't take offense if Solor is still seen as a breed traitor. I know it is as offensive to you as being called a troq ... Yes, I know it means that you are called 'nothing' by others. You are far from that in my eyes and everyone here as well values you immensely. I have to ask you to overlook the slur against Solor. Then again, if all goes according to plan, this may be a non-issue."

"I'll try," she said, "But, I do not like that Boyfriend Solor would be called a traitor of the breed."

"Guys," he said, "I know more of my history as well. I am of Solor's species. My mother apparently was desperate to conceive and mated with probably all the clans producing a perfect, one of a kind hybrid. She finally laid a single egg: mine. That's why I have all these gifts."

Solor said, "That's not possible! There shouldn't be any hybrids. I told you that."

"Yet, here I am," Edward replied, "The Circle recognized me as the same hatchling that they sent away. The Darkness tried to kidnap me and the Circle had no choice but to send me there."

"Glorious!" Starfire cheered, "Please, is there a chance for you to see your k'norfka?"

"Probably not," Edward said, "From what they told me, she begged to be sent to where I was and when she was denied...she tried to cast a Tear of Oblivion anyway."

"So," Solor said, "She is either somewhere in the future or another universe."

"Yes," Edward said, "She was about 2,000 years old when I was hatched, so, even if she were alive, she'd be weak. I do want to try to find her, of course. Life said that she...that she..." He broke down then and wept for the mother who gave him his life.

Rachael pulled him into her arms as did Starfire. Both just let him release the tide of emotions. Then, the other Teen Titans who didn't know Edward joined the group hug, especially Robin of all people! The Boy Wonder understood all too well the pain Edward was feeling. It took several long minutes before Edward could speak again.

"She'd be very proud of you," Rachael said, finishing her husband's thought. Edward nodded. Cyborg got up and retrieved something for Edward to drink, which was gratefully accepted.

"Sol has a request of you, Robin," Edward said, "Trigon is not likely to know that Rachael is here and that gives us a tactical advantage. Sol would like her to lead the Teen Titans during this crisis. She's already been through what is coming and can lead the resistance from the human side.

"Rachael, you need to convince allies to join us and within the next two weeks. Go to the Justice League here and make the case that we need them badly. They might not want to help due to your heritage. In fact, be open about it. Tell them everything. Including what I am and that I am on their side

"We may have to bring our Titans over here as well and knowing Nightwing, he will have the guys ready to cross over here regardless.

"I am leading the defense for the Dragons and will be on their front. Sol raised a good point: Sweetheart, during the fight, I cannot afford to be distracted worrying about you. And our link has to stay in either a passive mode or disabled completely. Trigon cannot realize that there are two of you here. We might lose Raven regardless, even though this is ahead of schedule."

"What do you mean?" Terra asked.

"No harm is telling you now: In my universe, Raven became the portal that allowed Trigon entry. She is the gem and once Trigon is summoned, there is a chance that her powers will be stripped from her and she will be reverted to a child of five years old, if we're lucky.

"Another possibility, though, is that they cannot use her, but Solor's Twilight hatchling instead, as he mentioned before. Solor, any idea how many eggs Vilea may lay?"

"She was fertile, Edward," Solor replied glumly, "She could lay either one egg or as many as a dozen. Each one an abomination in the eyes of the Circle. No offense." Solor was aware that for Edward to even exist that he was a blend of all the clans, not just a Light and Dark dragon.

Edward shrugged off the implication, though.

Robin wasn't sure about letting Raven's counterpart lead the team, though. He was conflicted about the whole deal as he'd been the group leader since they started.

"Robin," Edward said, picking up on his hesitation, "Rachael is the best one right now to lead. Even Batman would tell you that the one with the best experience should lead. She won't need to go on any normal missions. And, I would prefer that she not, to keep the civilians from knowing that Raven has a twin here. If the local media doesn't know this, all the better. So, this means that while she is working on getting allies and coordinating with the Dragons to make sure that we're not stepping on toes here, you're still in charge of the regular missions that will come up. Fair enough?"

Robin had nothing to counter that, so, he nodded, "That'll work, I guess."

"Something else," Edward said, "Right now, the general population is not aware of the existence of Dragons. That will likely change if Trigon doesn't petrify the population like he's done on other worlds. Sol told the population that the Dawn of Dragons had arrived."

"You mean that they are coming out into the open?" Beast Boy asked, "Won't that like, freak people out?"

"Exactly, elf," Solor said, "Dragons have, until today, stayed hidden and not interfering in the affairs of humanity. Edward, you must have really sold the Circle to undertake this. I am surprised at that one."

"I am too," Edward said, "I expected to have to do more to convince them. Initially, it did not look that good, but, after I painted a picture of the Earth under Trigon's control, all but the Death Clan voted in favor of maintaining the balance that they have achieved here.

"Well, that and showing them Trigon. I think that helped to convince most of them.

"But, the fact remains that the population will initially be panicked, but, I know humanity will grow and adapt.

"Titans, we are in this until the end. Until this war is over...and believe me, it is a war, rest will come hard. If this is the same Trigon that I defeated in my universe, he will come prepared. He will also have allies and minions to bring to the fight. Vilea and her father have lost their element of surprise and I pray they are not aware of that.

"Rachael and Raven, you both need to be ready at a moment's notice to keep the team from being petrified. Rachael, teach your counterpart, if necessary on how to transfer some of your power to them and how to use that power. Her powers are based on emotion, very much like Starfire's powers are based on her emotions. You will not be able to protect the civilians from being turned to stone, so, do not even try. It might be better for them in the long run."

"You're taking this personally?" Raven asked.

Edward nodded, "I won't deny that, Raven. I just discovered that this is my home...the world in which I was born into and I have a duty to protect it like I help protect my adopted world. Solor would tell you that when one is part of the will of the First...who you all call God or in Star's case, X'hal...one goes along with the plan. That is what I am doing now, friends. If Trigon is the one from my universe, he will have learned from his overconfidence. He won't make the same mistakes twice."

"I will want to get some alone time with Rachael, after tonight, we may not be together for a long time."

"We already have a room ready," Robin said, "it's soundproofed, just in case." Both Edward and his wife blushed heavily. Solor chuckled, remembering when they got it on one night.

Solor, meanwhile, was thinking hard about everything. The war, the offer his family was giving him... so much was changing himself. The question he was wondering about was whether or not he deserved this second chance back into his home... or if he wanted to continue to try to return. After all, he had made his home here. But now he was risking it all because he had fought so hard to protect it. Perhaps it was best to sit on the sidelines...

"Boyfriend Solor?" asked Starfire, looking concerned. Solor looked to his girlfriend briefly, before he lowered his eyes. She frowned, and took a hold of his hands. "I am sorry, everyone... but I need to speak to Boyfriend Solor alone", she apologized, before she began walking towards her room. Robin looked like he wanted to stop them, but Raven put a hand on his shoulder, silencing him.

"It's probably best to leave them alone for now", said the young witch. "They probably need to talk about what we saw in Solor's head."

"Was it... really that bad?" Terra asked, looking worried.

"He was forced to mate with this... Vilea several times a day for a week", Edward responded. "He is in a very emotional state... there is no telling what he will say or do. And there's no way to tell what Starfire will try to ease his pain."

"You mean... she might...?" said Beast Boy, wincing a bit. "Will he be... in the mood, after all of that? I wouldn't if I were him..."

Cyborg shook his head. "It's up to those two. This might test their relationship to its limits for now." He turned to Rachel, sighing. "We might want to get to work. We're gonna need as much help as possible. We'd best contact any heroes we can."

Edward nodded. "Let's get to work then." However, he had to admit, even if only Rachel could hear it, he was hoping that Solor and Starfire would be alright.

"Who should we contact, though?" Beast Boy asked.

"For one your friends in the Doom Patrol," Edward said, "Then, Titans East as I know you have already helped them to get started. I'm going to give you a list of people to contact as well who I think will be of immense assistance. Then, the Justice League and hope that they will want to help. I'll call back home to appraise my teammates of the problem. I'm sure that they will want a piece of the action and our Justice League if yours will not help. Also, I should be able to get a message to my son there as well. Have them meet us at the Tower in two days time"

That said, the team got up to start making calls. Edward asked for one of their communicators that would contact his team and Cyborg handed him one.

"Keep it for now," Cyborg said, "It may come in handy later on."

"Thanks, man," Edward said.

He opened the communicator and said, "Edward to Nightwing."

A moment later Nightwing appeared and said, "Edward! How are things over there?"

"Not good," Edward said, "We helped Solor to recover. He's going to be OK, but, we have a problem here that requires us to remain for an indefinite amount of time. A. Big. Red. problem."

"Trigon," Nightwing said coldly.

"Yes," Edward said, "When we were looking at Solor's memories, it was revealed that the Dark Dragons will summon him earlier than he appeared in our history.

"But, this time, in this universe, we are not going down without one helluva fight. The dragons ruling government, The Circle, has declared open war on Trigon and after I showed the Dragons there a hint of my power, their solders were in awe. They approached me and in their custom, averted their gaze. It is customary that they feel unworthy to look upon their leaders and, well, I am apparently their commanding officer or probably their Commander-in-Chief for the duration of this war.

"Nightwing, please have the team ready to come here, even if it's an advisory role to the heroes we are hoping to gather to the cause. This includes David as well. Tell him that his father may require his assistance. He knows about Solor's visit here, but, tell him that I'm here and what I told you.

"Also, on a side note. I know of my origin. The short version is that I am the only true hybrid dragon with a blend of every sub-species and clan. The Circle thinks that one of two things happened: That the First granted my mother the egg that contained me because she was unable to lay any eggs, or, that she took multiple mates from each clan and the balance was perfect.

"The Circle has offered to finish the training they wanted to do when I was a whelp and that will allow me to reach my full potential. They think with additional training, I might be the most powerful dragon since their original Circle millions of years ago."

Nightwing said, "Congrats, Edward. We know you had to wonder where you came from. And, yes, we stand ready to assist you. The team will be yours to lead when you need us."

"Actually, Rachael will assume that role for the human's side. That's by Sol's request and I want to make sure she's got the best advisors by her side. I will not be there. Sol's right. She would be a distraction if she were literally fighting by my side because I would be worried about her safety," Edward said.

Arella appeared on the screen, "Hi, Edward."

Soon as the native Raven heard Arella, the overhead lights exploded. She was surprised to hear her mother's voice and floated over.

"Mother?" she said, "Why are you there? Shouldn't you be in Azarath?"

"In our universe," Edward said, "Trigon destroyed it. Your mother was the sole survivor of his wrath. Rachael and I traveled there shortly after that happened and brought her back to the tower to treat her injuries. She's been a welcome honorary member since then."

"I see," she said.

"That's why I said that if Trigon is defeated and banished there, you must convince her to leave with you. In fact, I know that you'll want to transport as many out to keep the order alive."

"You mean that the order is destroyed?" Raven asked.

"No, my daughter," Arella said. She didn't care if this Raven was from a different universe, she was still Arella's daughter.

"The order survived," she continued, "There are several locations here that escaped being destroyed."

"That's good," Raven said, "Your Azar would be pleased."

"Edward," Arella said, "Are you certain that this is Trigon coming?"

"Absolutely certain," Edward replied, "I don't know how he survived my attack, but, that's irrelevant now."

"We're packed up," Nightwing assured Edward, "Whenever you're ready, so are we."

"All right," Edward said, "We have to get to work here, though. We'll talk to you soon."

As the next few hours passed, the team contacted as many heroes as they could to gather at Titan Tower in two days time. That would give Edward time to think about the second most important speech in his life as he would be telling this world that there were Dragons and that contrary to popular belief, it was possible for dragons to walk among humans in a friendly manner as well as purely evil Dragons. Unlike his home world, though, Edward knew that he was at a disadvantage. The humans of this world may not be as accepting of dragons, as they certainly killed several if Solor's memories were true. That bothered Edward greatly, yet he took solace in what was said in that meeting. It was possible that the dragons hiding in plain sight were influencing some mortals, maybe in governmental positions. He would have to check on that one, though.

But, his immediate, more personal worry was Solor. He was still recovering from his crushing defeat and not from his foolish attack on a member of the Circle. His will was shattered, his feelings of shame and guilt overwhelming him to the point Edward was afraid that he would try to back out.

Edward, in the time he got to know Solor saw that the younger dragon was honorable and wondered how could he get Solor to fight. What would work, though? Edward did not want to use Starfire as a bargaining chip, but, Edward knew that he would react violently should there be a threat to Starfire and wasn't experienced enough to know to set that aside for the greater good of all.

He'd use Starfire as a last resort, though. Edward thought back to the earliest memory Solor had allowed them to see when he was named Heir to the Light.

There had to be something there that he would be able to use to anger Solor in a good way where Edward could redirect that rage to where it belonged. He had to remind Solor that he is first and foremost the presumptive and forgiven Heir to the Light. He had to remind Solor of his duty in a way that would be kind. Now was the time for the kid gloves to be used instead of a battering ram, he realized. But, he wouldn't hesitate to remind Solor of the stakes, either.

Each of the Circle had made excellent points, even if some of there were currently incorrect, Edward felt that was premature as well. He mentally reviewed what was said.

Grand Death had said that Solor was strong enough to handle and overcome all odds, but would he be strong enough to overcome the insanity of watching the ones he loves grow weaker and eventually die? Edward had seen countless generations come and go. Each one had someone that Edward cared about and he would see them age, wither, and die. He buried his first son and the grief then was crushing. Callisto, the day of the funeral, smacked Edward to the dirt and said that she never wanted to see him again, causing the dragon to put himself through centuries of not wanting to really open his heart.

Life had said that Solor would find a way to make the necessary decisions, while Earth questioned that assessment, but, in the end, approved.

Fire noted that Solor had a fiery temper that would consume those who opposed him, but, would change the world.

All of the Grand dragons all said the same basic thing, Edward realized. They were not just giving a verdict for the short term, but a prophecy of their own that has been sidetracked.

Edward excused himself and went to the roof to clear his head, meditate ... and to pray.

He hit his knees because he knew that there was a power far greater than all the dragons combined.

"Oo Diist!" Edward said, "Hon draan do hin bonaar aar. Vahraan Filkiinro sil ahrk ofan mok mul wah wahl viilt poguk fodos wah hin fen. Bolaav mok ahkrin tol lost kosaan sizaan. Ofan mok rigir fos lost gahrot naal Vulom.

"Ofan mok malz do hin drem, Oo Diist! Zu'u nox hi fah grozein wah aam hi ont zuk. Bolaav zey onikaan wah inaak hin fonaar ol mu luft rut tol fund al hin kiindah. Ofan zey mul wah inaak voth raalik haal ahrk hil wah ulaak fah daar neben dii fonaar."

[English translation: "Oh First! Hear the prayer of your humble servant. Heal Starborn's soul and give him the strength to make the right choice according to your will. Grant him the courage that has been lost. Give him back what was stolen by Darkness.

"Give him a measure of your peace, Oh First! I thank you for the opportunity to serve you once more. Grant me the wisdom to lead your charges as we face a threat that would destroy your creation. Give me the strength to lead with a firm hand and the heart to care for those under my charge."]

Edward looked at Jump City and saw how it used to be. He saw the building that in his universe was blown up by Slade with he and Raven trapped in the rubble and other buildings that he was so familiar with.

Edward wanted to take a flight over the area, but, wasn't sure about taking the risk. He decided not to and opted to meditate for a while. Given the information that he had been given and a de facto command over a lot of dragons, something told him that if he didn't take the chance, it wouldn't come again for a long time.

He sat in his favorite lotus position, found his center after a few minutes and started chanting his adopted mantra.

**[Starfire's Room]**

Once the two were in Starfire's room, the young princess guided her boyfriend to the bed, allowing him to sit down. She sat across from him, looking into his eyes. "Boyfriend Solor, if you want to talk to me, please feel free to do so."

Solor looked up at his girlfriend, but couldn't keep his gaze on her for long. He wasn't sure what to say, what to do. "Kreinyol... if I accept the Circle's offer of temporary freedom from this banishment... what will you think of me?"

Starfire smiled. "I will not think less of you. I am sure you are feeling the sick for your home."

"That is what is troubling me", Solor said. "I do not know if I want to go back... or if I should be allowed to even stay here." He placed his hand over his eyes. "I... I did something unforgivable. And my actions will now yield terrible results. And Trigon is coming, and it is all my fault."

Starfire looked distressed. "It is alright, my love. You were... confused, and tricked. Vilea is to blame, not you."

Solor let out a sob, and Starfire gently held him in her arms. "It is alright. Take whatever time you need to let it out." It took a few moments, but Solor was shaking in her arms with silent tears. He held her as well, and soon was crying into her shoulder. For several minutes, he silently cried until he had no more tears to give.

Starfire's heart broke for her boyfriend and she was afraid for him. She realized that he was more broken than ever. It would take a strong force to help him get completely through it

Solor was feeling the weight of what happened to him and he blamed himself. He should have been stronger and had the willpower to see through Vilea's deception. Yet, he allowed those same base instincts that he told Koriand'r in the other universe that the mind cound control to cloud his mind because he wanted to mate with Starfire. His hormones demanded that happen and he jumped on the first opportunity.

He didn't deserve to be allowed back into Lair because in his mind, he had done something far worse when anger Grand Death and he no longer felt worthy to be a Teen Titan either.

Starfire put a finger under his chin, lifted his chin and kissed him on the forehead. She wasn't sure how he'd react if she kissed him on the lips, though.

"We'll get through this, Boyfriend Solor," she said gently, "Didn't friend Edward tell us that the Trigon was coming eventually? He's still the furious at Trigon for his acts against friend Rachael."

Solor looked at her and asked, "How can you even bear the sight of me?"

"Don't be a _clorbag_!" she chided, "You asked me to take care of your heart, remember? I would not be the girlfriend if I did the walking away now. Boyfriend Solor, I forgave you already. Why can you not do the forgiving of you? You have every right to be most angry at all of us. We did not have the back and you were taken from us.

"On Tamaran, we are most forgiving in times like these. You are my boyfriend, I am your girlfriend. Nothing will come between that. I gave the promise to watch out for your heart as you watch out for me. I saw that you were tricked. You are most innocent of the betrayal. I shall take my anger out on Vilea, not you, boyfriend Solor. I swear on the Throne of Tamaran that I shall not stop being your girlfriend."

"What do I do about Trigon's coming? What do I do about the Circle wanting to welcome me back?"

"We can do nothing about the Trigon. You are a fighter, Boyfriend Solor," Starfire said, "You have longed for this to happen. But, do as your heart tells you."

Solor began to think, about everything. He wanted nothing more than to be with Starfire, to fight along her side. But... he also knew that might end badly. If he were to fight alongside Starfire and a dragon manage to hurt her, he'd still react badly to that. He needed a level head in order to fight. Besides, he might actually be sent on a mission to locate Vilea.

The mere thought of Vilea brought his thoughts to a grinding halt. He seemed to freeze right then and there, remembering all the horrible, twisted things that she did. Slowly, he frowned, and eventually stood up. "I will go to Lair. There is no other choice."

Starfire nodded, getting up as well. "Then I shall support you. But before you go..." She blushed slightly, grabbing a hold of his hand. "Will you stay? I want to be with you one last night before this war begins. It would make me... most happy."

Solor looked to her, but instead of nodding, like she expected, he shook his head. "I am sorry, my love... but tonight I must prepare for the journey. And... I need to think about everything. If you wish for me to forgive myself... then I need time to heal, as everything does in this world."

Obviously, Starfire wasn't happy, but she was understanding. "Then take the time you need." She kissed his cheek, which he allowed. "Remember that I will always be here for you."

Solor nodded, before deciding he needed to talk to Edward. Hopefully, the elder dragon would be able to help him think things through. He still had his doubts... but he knew he wanted to go to Lair. He just needed a fighting chance at recovering, and if anyone could help him, it would be Edward.

He entered the living room next, seeing all of the Titans looking busy as they called their allies. Rachel was speaking to the Justice League, and upon seeing Superman on the screen, Solor's pain was temporarily forgotten. He approached Rachel, looking at the Man of Steel with a little bit of admiration. "Is this the Justice League?" he asked, looking a little happier.

"Yes, this is", said Superman, giving a friendly smile. "You are Solor, right? Robin's told us a lot about you."

Solor averted his eyes, and the faintest tone of red hit his cheeks. "I am," he replied, "I hope that Robin spoke well of me."

"Nothing but the highest praise," Superman affirmed, "When you disappeared into that other universe, he had not only the Teen Titans scouring the world, he asked us to assist in searching other worlds. A task we were happy to undertake. We at the League are pleased at your safe return."

Solor blushed heavier. To hear such words of encouragement from the Man of Steel did more for his morale, at least in the short term, than anything else. It did not alleviate his doubts, but, the words salved him regardless. Superman did not hand out compliments easily, but, this was one of those times.

Solor looked over to Rachel, and soon his smile faded. "Has he been informed of... everything?"

Rachel nodded. "He knows that Trigon is on his way. He's going to inform the rest of the League." She then spoke into Solor's mind, since she didn't want to say the next bit aloud. [He does not know about the dragons, or of your involvement. I figured you might want to be the one to share that.]

Solor nodded. "If I may, then I shall debrief him on the finer details." He took a seat, collecting his thoughts as he tried to word his next statement carefully.

"I am... afraid that it is my fault that we must ask for your aid again, Superman", Solor said. "I appreciate the sentiment of at least looking for me, and the kind words you share with me... but that might change." He looked Superman in the eye. "When I was returned a few months ago... it stepped up the plans of some traitors from my home, whom have been aptly titled as the Darkness. They wish for Trigon to rule this world... with the promise that once he has ended all life on it, it shall become their personal playground. In order to do that... they need a portal.

"I am sure Rachel has told you about her role in Trigon's invasion of her universe, and Edward's eventual victory over him. I know not whether this is the same Trigon, or if he will remember if it is. But for him to have a portal... there must be half Light and Darkness. Our Raven was the original choice for the portal. But thanks to my interference... a traitor named Vilea tricked me. She tricked me into believing that she was Starfire, and... and..." At this he could not continue. He had to hold back his tears and sobs, as he relived that horrible week. Superman said nothing, letting him recover. He understood that there were terrible people in the world who would do horrible things to get what they wanted more than anyone else in the world.

Rachael merely put an arm around his neck. She didn't pull his emotions out, though. Edward had taught her that it's OK to let someone work through their emotions as it made them stronger. She only did that for moral support.

Finally, Solor recollected himself. He took a deep breath, before letting it out. "She is pregnant, Superman. And she is planning on using my child as the portal for Trigon. I am sorry that I was weak... I am sorry that I have played right into their hands." He bowed his head. "Please... forgive me."

There was a long silence on the other end. Eventually, Superman spoke up. "It's alright", he said. "We will stop Trigon, and we will find this... Vilea. She won't go unpunished." He softened his expression a bit. "You, on the other hand... while it's probably not what you want to hear, I think you should sit this one out. If you do run into her again... well, there's no telling what will happen. You might become so angry that you'll try to kill her, or become so afraid that you'll freeze up."

Solor nodded. "I understand, Superman. But I am as much a part of this war as everyone else. If they are going to fight, then so shall I." He then lowered his head again. "Although... I may fight on a different front than them. I am not sure I belong on this team anymore... I need to speak to Edward."

Rachel took over, helping Solor out of his chair. "He's on the roof, Solor. I'm sure he's thinking about what you need to hear, too."

Solor headed to the roof as Rachel continued her conversation with Superman.

He saw Edward in the lotus position and hesitated, knowing that Edward was meditating on everything.

"It's all right," Edward said, "I was expecting you, my friend." He opened his eyes and motioned for Solor to sit down besides him. So, Solor complied.

"What should I do?" Solor asked.

"Normally," Edward replied, "I would ask you about what. But, I think I know.

"Take Grand Earth up on the offer to return to Lair. Show them that you have redeemed yourself. Show them that you are regretting that they have to go to war. Show Grand Death that you are worthy of his pardon. Let them see that you're capable of all the compliments they gave you and that you've matured."

"I don't know if I am worthy," Solor said, averting his gaze.

"Believe me," Edward soothed, "You are worthy. You are worthy to fight along side me like you did in my universe. You earned that right the first time we met. That's one reason I forgave you for almost tearing off a wing. At the time, you were ruthless in your rage. You showed me that you will fight for your family honor and I respect that. That is another reason I apologized to you and to your father. I need you by my side, Starborn of the Light. You have nothing to prove to me. You are obviously sorry for what happened and for the events that are coming. But, this was inevitable regardless. Trigon would have arrived after Raven's 18th Birthday. It doesn't matter to me one bit that this is moved up. And, you will either have to start to heal from this now, or you may be useless in the war."

Solor sensed the power behind Edward's words, spoken gently and nodded, "I already decided to return with you to Lair. But, am I still worthy to be a Teen Titan?"

"Absolutely," Edward affirmed, "Don't give up on them, Solor. They will go to Hell for you and back because you are their rock. Didn't I tell you that they would not stop looking for you, no matter how long it took?"

"You were right," Solor said, "But, I was weak, dammit. I should never have let Vilea fool me like that."

"You think that you were played," Edward said, "but, I think that even if you had listened to your head and not the one downstairs, she would have merely raped you from the beginning. She was likely under orders to see that you mated with her by any means necessary and took a sadistic glee in owning you outright. I will understand if you want to sit this out. But, could you look in a mirror knowing that the great Starborn was a coward? Could you go back to Lair and not be able to look even the lowliest of recruits in the eye? Do you want to be Starborn, the Traitor?"

That got the desired effect as Solor's eyes started glowing green, "_**SOLOR IS NOT A TRAITOR!**_**" **he roared in Edward's face.

"Good to know," Edward said nonplussed, "Keep that anger, man. Direct it at Darkness' troops. You let someone else deal with Vilea, though. I do not want you taking her on, hatchling, not solo. On this one, my word is law. Unless you have no other choice, do not try to take her on solo. Someone else shall avenge your tainted honor. On that, I give my word.

"I am going back to Lair in the morning to begin some training of my own. If I need my weapons at their ultimate, I cannot afford the backlash. Sol and the Circle will train me to avoid the backlash. I want you to be ready for the trip."

His tone softened, "Listen, you're a good friend and you have a good heart. Don't let past fears get in the way of what you have to do. Also, I would be honored to have you as my second in command. You, I know. The others, I don't."

"What about Starfire, I want her to..." Solor said.

"Your father gave me some sound logic," Edward said, "If you are fighting by her side, you could be distracted worrying about her safety. Her well-being will cloud your judgment. And, don't bother objecting. I've seen that with my own eyes. You were willing to slaughter Plasmus when he was reverted back to a teenager just because she got trapped in his slime. You scared Dr. Light badly for knocking her down. I was there when you and her went to see _Godzilla_ under a disguise, man. I needed to see how you'd treat her out of curiosity. That is more than satisfied.

"I applaud that you want her to fight by your side. She's Tamaranian, man. She's a LOT tougher than you think. Underneath that soft caring side that we all love about her...she is a brave warrior who has the heart of a dragon. She can handle herself in a fight, even against Blackie, or even an evil twin. She will be fine."

Solor looked thoughtful, "I still feel that if I join this fight, she will be harmed. What will I do if that happens?"

"We both have seen war," Edward said, "Warriors know the risk regardless of their race. I know it's not much of a salve to your concerns, but, that is a fact of war. Personally, I am tired of war and fighting wars. But, if I do not fight, here and now, I will lose the respect of the one person who looks back at me in a mirror. I could not respect myself if your Raven opened a Tear back to my universe and I took the coward's way out. I would lose the respect of my wife and I would lose my son's respect for his beloved father. I would lose the respect of every single person in my life from Xena to Beast Boy. I promise you that Starfire will be taken care of if she falls in battle.

"Be the dragon that your father wants you to be. Show him that you are more than worthy of being the next Light of the Circle. Cast out fear."

Solor had never heard Edward speak with such a passion, even during their long talks in Edward's world. He felt rallied and encouraged for the first time since his ordeal began. His shame became a resolve. His dishonor faded into hope. He was feeling that he was absolved at least on a mortal/Dragon level, but, that there was one who he had not asked for forgiveness from...the First.

"Edward," Solor said, "You guys have forgiven me...Would the First also forgive me?"

"Yes, he would," Edward said, "The First would forgive you. You have a contrite heart and are truly sorry for what happened. I want to believe that the First takes all that into consideration and would rejoice that you came to him, humbled before him. So, yes, you would be forgiven if you ask."

Solor was encouraged enough that he also prayed to the First for his forgiveness and as he prayed, the sky, which was actually cloudy opened up just a little, to allow a beam of sunlight to strike the roof of the tower.

Solor looked up and Edward said, "Behold, Solor. It looks to me that you are forgiven. Now, forgive yourself. That's the hard part, I know. But, going into this with lingering doubts and regrets will not help you or the troops I plan to place under your direction."

"Trusting me with soldiers, eh?" Solor said with a smirk.

"I trust you to lead them," Edward said, "Let's go see how the others are doing, shall we? But, I warn you, Solor...you shall have until the heroes of this world assemble here in two days time to decide if you are a fearsome Dragon worthy of being the next Heir to the Light or a mere footnote in the Circle's history. 'Starborn: Banished for being weak.' Sol would be disgraced and your family line would no longer have respect. You defended your family honor against me and all I did was a flippant insult. You feel tainted and dishonored. This is YOUR chance to regain your honor in your own eyes.

"Solor, you fell for a trick initially. I saw in your memories that you told Robin that if your father were tricked, he would get right back up and fight for what is right. I need you to do that as well. Sometimes, doing the right thing is hard. Walking away might be the easiest route, but, again, would you be able to look yourself in the mirror?

"You consoled Robin and Raven after they were fooled and tricked. Take your own wise words to heart.

"Finally, friend: Don't insult your mother's memory. Listen to her now, Solor. She has not left you. I know that for a fact, so, make her proud. She is the voice of your conscience, and your Light. As proud as my birth mother would be of me." He helped Solor to his feet and they went downstairs.

Edward had thrown down the gauntlet. It was up to Solor to rise to Edward's challenge. And, Edward hit all the right buttons to basically push Solor into the fight.

Solor walked back downstairs and into the beehive of activity that the Tower had become, with all the Titans at various consoles talking to the more experienced heroes and inviting them to the Tower.

Edward looked at Rachael and smiled, "How is it going, sweetheart?"

"So far, so good," she replied, "Superman is probably calling a general meeting of the Justice League and I am faintly hearing J'onn Jonzz recalling other members of the League, even those who left for whatever reason."

[I don't want to alarm the others,] she continued, [I am also picking up alarm from the Dragons of this world. The Circle is already recalling their people from their spots among humanity.]

[Sol told me that they would recall their people from wherever they are. I hope that they are discreet in their departures. Remind me to get an encrypted communicator for Sol's use, please. I want to keep lines of communication open between the dragons and the humans.]

"Contact villains as well," Robin piped up, "explain that there is a common enemy and invite them here as well. They will not face arrest or other reprisals for showing up. If they want to meet without the heroes present, that's fine."

"You sure you want to trust the likes of the HIVE?" Edward asked, "I know we can use Gizmo's genius here, but, the others? I don't know. There's a good chance that they will side with the enemy regardless."

Solor did not look happy and said, "Trusting Darkness is foolish, Robin. They will never side with us and we would be too busy to notice the knife in our backs until it was too late."

Robin reconsidered his plan and said, "You're probably right. We'll leave them out of it. But, I won't turn them away should they realize that Trigon is a much bigger threat then they ever were. Edward, in your universe, didn't Slade team up with the Titans?"

Edward replied, "It was more for his own self-preservation, however, he did help by slicing Trigon's antlers, so your counterpart gave Slade a free pass to leave. He also helped in recovering Raven."

By the time people were ready to eat, the Titans had gotten commitments from many superheroes to at least attend the emergency meeting at Titan Tower.

"Back home," Edward said, "The team let me do the cooking. If you'd like, I would be honored to do that."

Robin said, "Sounds like a plan, chief."

Edward looked around to see what was available and selected a few items that he knew would be delicious.

"Rachael," Edward said, "Would you mind giving me a hand."

The native Titans faces drained of color getting a smirk out of Solor.

"Relax," he said, "Edward taught her how to cook and they do make a great team. Kreinyol and I have eaten her cooking there and we not only survived, but, enjoyed it."

Raven said, "Well, that's good, I guess."

"Why?" Beast Boy asked.

"Because Raven's first attempt to do a breakfast was the day Trigon invaded," Edward said, "According to the guys, it didn't turn out well. She burnt the outside of pancakes, but, the inside was still raw. Robin, Cyborg and Beast Boy bravely tried them. Cyborg was like 'Gaaahhh!" and fell backwards. Robin and Beast Boy both ralphed. Only one who enjoyed them was Starfire. They reminded her of some insects from home. From what Raven told me, Cyborg was pouring syrup into BB's mouth and Robin was preferring the taste of his gauntlets."

That got the group chuckling.

"Sure, laugh it up," Rachael said, "I was trying to give the team a final good day. I knew that Trigon was coming and assumed that none of them would survive. It was an instinct that gave them a measure of my powers and protected them."

Edward put his hands on her waist and said, "I'm not trying to embarrass you, sweetheart or your counterpart. I enjoyed teaching you. Let's invite her as well, at least give her some tips."

Rachael nodded to Raven and said, "Come on over, there's plenty of room."

Not only did the younger Raven walk over, but, the other Teen Titans as well. They were all wanting the diversion and it would be Edward's last opportunity to cook for the Titans for a while as he needed to go back to Lair in the morning, this time with Solor in tow.

He whipped up a batch of burgers for the crew, and he found some veggie burgers for Beast Boy's enjoyment.

"You're not going to bother me about being a vegetarian?" he asked.

"Nope," Edward said, "I usually do separate meals for our Beast Boy. It cuts down on the arguing that, as I said a few months ago, tends to annoy Raven to the point she tosses you out the window. We need as much rest as possible and bickering over meat over vegetarian is counter-productive."

Edward then spent the next 30 minutes starting to teach Raven how to cook effectively. He did not have the time to sit down with her like he did with Rachael, though. She became a good cook over a year's time. This younger Raven, he liked as a friend, obviously, and it might be hard to keep from transferring or confusing his feelings between the two.

As it was actually getting late, Edward asked Robin where their temporary quarters were and he gave them directions to a spare room that was actually on the other side of the Tower.

"For added privacy," Robin said, "We figured that you'd appreciate it."

"Oh, we will," Edward said as the dishes were being taken care of.

He remembered something as well and said to Solor, "If you would like, I can start training you in hand to hand combat. There's times when morphing into a Dragon is not feasible or even a hybrid form isn't always a good idea. If you are facing someone wanting to mug you or are in a store or other close combat area where hand to hand combat is the only available option, you don't want to be caught holding your dragonhood in your hands. I'll train you between my own training sessions with the Circle."

Robin piped up and said, "I would be happy to help train you as well, Solor."

"I would like that," Solor said.

"Gotta keep your anger in check, though," Edward said with a smirk, "With your durability, it's not like you're going to be hurt, especially by Robin, and I'll make sure to pull my punches to a more human level. How is your nose?"

"Still throbs a little, nothing I cannot handle," Solor said.

Raven stepped up and took care of that problem saying, "You need to be 100%."

Solor thanked Raven for the healed nose.

Edward stood up and looked at the clock, "If you'll excuse us, it's been a long and eventful day. I'm sort of tired."

He and Rachael went to their temporary quarters and were surprised at how the Teen Titans seemed to have anticipated their visit as the room was more towards how Raven kept hers.

Edward and Rachael spent their final full night together trying to relax, but, they couldn't get in the mood for some reason.

The other Titans were also trying to unwind a bit. They knew that the next few days would be spent making plans. As a result, Robin put the team on partial stand down to get their plans together, how they would explain to the assembles Superheroes about the whole Trigon thing and that Rachael would have to be the leader of the human resistance while appeasing some of the heroes who might have an issue with a half-human/half-demon running the show.

Solor and Starfire spent the night in separate quarters. While Solor would have loved to spend more time with Starfire, he was recovering still, and the mere thought of being any form of intimate with anyone scared him. Starfire understood, and didn't press the matter, but she was still a little saddened by the interactions.

Beast Boy and Terra were taking the time as well to reassure each other that they would come out alive. Terra had heard about what happened to her counterpart and she was worried.

"How can I keep from turning myself to stone?" she asked him.

"Solor's trained you well, sweetheart," Beast Boy said, "I know you can handle this. Just remember what the other Terra said how you will show signs of overtaxing your powers. If your nails turn to stone, it's time to stop for a while to recover."

Terra nodded, "True." That set her mind as ease as they also cuddled next to each other.

Robin, for his part, put his mind to strategy as he laid in bed. He had some ideas, but, like everyone else, had been expecting this to happen later on, and not within the next month or so. And, that depended on how long it would take for a Dragon to hatch and how big this hatchling would be.

Cyborg was working on beefing up the Tower's defenses as much as he could, but, he knew that a lot of his plans for the long term were not going to work, so, he also took the time to program a self-destruct for the Tower. It would be a last ditch measure to at least keep the Tower from falling into enemy hands. If their planning was revealed due to a takeover of the Tower, everything would be for naught.

Also, it would be difficult keeping the media at bay, but Robin and Edward had a similar plan: Let Clark Kent do the reporting. This universe's Superman did not know that Edward was keeping his secret close to his heart, though. In fact, Edward planned on telling Superman that he knew the secret. Edward was also considering a general press conference after the meeting with the heroes.

**[Meanwhile – in a dark cave]**

As the Titans and the dragons in Lair were in their preparations, Grand Darkness, an ancient dragon older than the Dragons combined, and his daughter Vilea were gloating. She had not only broken Solor's will, but, she knew that she would be laying at least one Twilight egg. It would be a second hybrid Dragon after Edward.

She relished when Solor finally cracked, but, it had taken a lot of drugs to do it.

"It is time, Father," she said, "I can feel the need to nest and lay Solor's egg. His will should be so shattered that even if he could tell those Light fools our plan, no one would believe him."

"Do not underestimate the enemy, daughter!" He chastised, "All it would take is someone to be convinced that Solor is telling the truth and they could convince those at the Circle to take Solor seriously. You underestimated Solor once and he got away."

"He's a disgraced Light mosquito," she said, "Why should they believe him?"

"He was sent to a different universe, yet, returned with that hybrid's help," Grand Darkness said.

There was another Tear of Oblivion opened then and a much younger dragon emerged.

He averted his gaze and reported, "Something's up, my liege! The dragons the Circle have had mixed with the mortal scum are retreating back to Lair. Our sources have monitored a massive amount of encrypted communications from that T shaped building in Jump City."

"Hmmm," Grand Darkness muttered, "This cannot be a coincidence, then. They know something is up. But, could they know about our grand plans?" He scratched his ancient chin and said, "We cannot take that chance. We must continue the Summoning of Trigon.

"I'm going to send you to that universe where the hybrid lived. Your mission is to see if he is still there or not. If he's not there, we'll know. Get that universes' Teen Titans to deploy and make sure that they are _all_ deployed to deal with a threat to their precious city. Then, we will know for certain."

Grand Darkness opened another Tear of Oblivion and the minion jumped through it and into Edward's universe. Had Edward known, a Dark Dragon would not have lived to return, though.

**[Edward's Universe]**

However, another guest was lying in wait, approaching Edward's tower with sore wings. An old, ancient form slumped against the mountain, finding its way into the cave where Terra had been petrified. However, before it could rest, it noticed it was not alone, as the Dark minion was exiting a Tear. Immediately, it growled, and the minion froze.

"Who goes there?" asked the minion. "State your name so Darkness may take you!"

"So... even here, Darkness infests the land", came the newcomer's voice. Obviously it was female, and the minion noticed the scales on her body. Before he could react, a beam of light shot through his scales, piercing his flesh, as the bronze dragoness hissed in pain. "Stupid servant... making me waste precious energy... I cannot do that again for a while." The minion didn't even get a chance to howl in pain as the beam tore a hole where his heart was. He crumpled like a puppet who had its strings cut, dead before his brain realized it.

She began to curl up, ignoring the corpse of the dead Dragon, but letting a single tear fall from her yellow eye. "Where are you... my child?" She let out a low, anguished cry out, and it echoed from the cave out towards the city. Everyone and their mother could hear it, even the Titans at the tower.

"What... was that?" asked Beast Boy, having finished packing for the trip to Solor's universe.

"Did that not sound like Edward whenever he is sad?" suggested Kori. "Did he come back without telling us?"

"No, this sounded different", said Nightwing. "It sounded... female. We better go check it out." Nightwing turned to Kori and Beast Boy. "Probably best if we keep this small. If it is another dragon, she may be angry and confused. So, it'll be Beast Boy, Kori, and myself to try to calm her down. We're at a disadvantage without Edward or Raven, so be careful." He turned to Cyborg. "Keep a finger ready to contact the League. If she turns out as violent as Solor was during his first visit, then we're gonna need as much backup as possible."

"On it", said the older Victor as the group set out.

It took only a few minutes to get to the cave, and Beast Boy knew that if it weren't for the fact that Terra was freed from her prison a long time ago, he'd be mad about anyone taking up residence here. The three older heroes kept going deeper into the cave, and soon came upon the hulking figure of the dragon, who had their back to her.

All three looked at each other, unsure of what to say, when Beast Boy decided to take action. He stepped forward, calmly, and spoke up. "Um... Hi?"

The effect was instantaneous, and the dragon was suddenly facing him, her eyes glowing yellow. "Human filth! Have you come to slay me?"

The 'human filth' line would have normally been taken as an offense, if Beast Boy wasn't reading her body language. Instead of taking on an offensive stance, she took a much more defensive one. Her head was low, and kept close to her body to keep her neck out of harm's way, and her tail was wrapped around her back leg.

"No, no I'm not", Beast Boy said, holding his hands up defensively. "I don't have any... dragon slaying equipment."

The dragon looked at him with her glowing yellow eyes, the fear slowly fading away. Then she looked at Nightwing, glowering a bit. "He has weapons", came her reply, obviously not in a trusting mood.

"All non-lethal", Nightwing assured, slowly removing his utility belt. He lay it on the ground and backed away from it. "We're not here to hurt you. We're here to help you."

"Help me?" she said bitterly. "I cannot be helped. I am old, nearing the end of my life. My whelp was taken from me. I am bitter and alone in a strange new world, all because he was special." She snorted, laying back down. "All because my whelp belongs to no clan." It was obvious that she had lived a life looking for someone near and dear as a tear fell.

The trio looked at each other, and Nightwing motioned to Starfire. "Call Edward."

The dragon flinched a bit at the sudden movement at first, but soon relaxed as Starfire only pulled out a communicator. "Koriand'r to Edward... I hope I am not interrupting anything important."

Edward opened his communicator and said, "Hi, Starfire. What's going on?"

Kori said, "There's another Dragon in the cave of Terra. She said that she is missing her whelp and doesn't look like she is the healthy. She said the 'whelp' was taken because he belonged to no clan and was the special."

Edward's face paled, "No...It cannot be! _**RAVEN!**_"

The roar got Raven teleporting to his room quickly.

"Open a Tear to my universe...NOW!" He demanded.

"Why?" she asked.

"It's his mother," Rachael said.

Raven didn't ask anymore questions and opened a Tear. "Rach, stay here and tell the others what the hell is happening. I'll be in touch."

He stepped through and emerged outside Terra's cave and raced in, heart pounding wildly.

He saw Kori, Beast Boy and Nightwing next to another dragon ... and one that was obviously deceased.

"Mother?" Edward asked, heart in his throat.

The new dragon looked at him and said, "Are you my whelp? Taken from me by the Circle?"

Edward gasped and walked to her, tears streaming down his face.

"I see it, but, I do not believe my eyes," she said, "I can die happy."

Edward looked at her and said, "The hell you will. I'm taking you home, Mother. Can you still morph to a hybrid or to a human form?"

It took some of her remaining strength, but, she managed a hybrid form.

Edward morphed as well and, for the first time that he could remember, made contact with his own mother as he picked up her weakened form and said, "I give you my strength, as you gave me my life." The group, rendered speechless, followed them out of the cave, into the fading light of the day.

Edward set her down and stepped back, activating his healing touch and ramped it to maximum power and his entire body was glowing, not just his hands.

He placed his hands on each side of his mother's body and the power leapt forth, causing her to arch her entire body. Several long minutes later, the glow faded and both collapsed for a moment.

Edward got up and staggered until Starfire supported him. She had the hearts in her eyes, though.

"What did you do?" Nightwing said.

"Transferred some of my strength to her and some of my power," he said weakly, "It won't last long, though. We have to get her to the tower and let her rest. I can't take her back to the other universe, not with Trigon coming."

Edward morphed back to dragon as Starfire picked up his mother and floated onto his back.

"You guys go on ahead," Beast Boy offered, "I can bring Nightwing with me."

Edward nodded and took to the air. There was a flash of light as Edward teleported to the Tower. It actually took some effort as his energy reserves were drained by the transfer of power to his mother.

Starfire floated off with her precious cargo as Edward morphed back and took her to the Med Bay. She would take a while to realize that Edward had transferred some of his own strength to her and that would extend her life a while. But, she would still weaken and pass on at some point.

Edward laid her down on a bed as Cyborg came in.

"Who is that?" he asked.

"You will not believe this," Edward said, wiping his eyes, "Say hello to my mother!"

Cyborg's jaw dropped, "Whaaaa?!"

"It's brother Edward's k'norfka," Starfire said happily and grabbing Edward, gave him a bone crushing hug. "This is glorious!"

"Wow," Cyborg said, "Just...wow!"

"I'll stay a while until she wakes up," Edward decided, rubbing his arms after Starfire released him, "I cannot leave her alone."

Edward suddenly had a crisis, though: Stay with his mom or go back and take charge of the Circle's army.

He figured that he could have some of his own blood transfused, though. It would give her a temporary immortality until it filtered out naturally, but, that would still take several weeks and if needed, he would return in a week or two in order to make sure that they had a few units stored. It meant that someone would stay back, though. That duty would likely fall on Raven's mom since she only had minimal hand-to-hand combat training anyway. The Tower's AI would be able to talk her through whatever she needed.

Edward's mom opened her eyes and looked up at Edward smiling, "I've waited so long for this day. The Circle took you from me. I tried and tried to get them to bring you home or send me to you. The bastards didn't want to do either! I could have raised you...protected you. They tried to stop me from opening a Tear of Oblivion. But, I found you at last!"

"Mother," Edward said, "The Circle did what they felt was best. I've thrived here and met people who guided me and basically raised me. I hold no anger towards them. You shouldn't either."

"You've been ... home?" she asked.

"I just came from there," he replied, "And, I cannot stay here. We're at war, Mom. Darkness is rising and they need me there to lead the solders. I … don't care if you mated with a hundred different dragons or if the First answered your prayers beseeching him to give you an egg. What matters is you are here. Grand Life told me that they didn't believe you were alive.

"Please, mom...for me. Forgive Sol and the Circle for the heartbreak and their not wanting to help you. They saw my potential as did the Darkness. They knew that you hatched the only true hybrid out of all the clans. I shall be forever in your debt. You never gave up hope. And I will do what I can to bring you home to Lair."

"I feel stronger," she said.

"You will for a while," he said, "I gave you a measure of my strength and power. I will give you some of my blood as well. It will allow you to stay here a while longer. And, when you join the First, I will lay you to rest in Lair. But, enough talk of death. I want to get to know you a bit and I know you have so much to ask me and there isn't time." He held her talons in his hand.

It broke his heart to say what he needed to say next.

"Mother," he said, "I cannot take you back to Lair now. Not when we're on the verge of a major war. The Darkness is moving to take over the world and they have a huge ally. Literally. The enemy's name is Trigon and he will destroy everything the First created leaving Darkness to run supreme. You're safe here in this Tower."

Her eyes widened immediately, showing obvious fear. "With the human filth?" she challenged.

"Mother, please," Edward soothed, "I've lived among the humans of this world and they are not all bad. The ones who found you are my family, and I've called many humans family. I know how some humans in the other universe treated Dragons, slaying them for whatever reason. It'll be OK here. You'll be safe."

"That's why I don't trust them, my son," she said, although she did relax slightly, "I saw what they did and sometimes barely escaped."

"You can trust the folks who will stay with you," Edward said, "I trust them with my very life. I feared the mortals for a long time as well, despite my immortality. They were frightened by several religious leaders into distrust, so, I rarely morphed from human to my Dragon form. Only when I met some people displaced from this era in our 18th Century did I start to show others what and who I am and that is because they trusted me.

"My current mate's mother lives here and from a place called Azarath. She's also a close friend and loves peace."

"And how many dragons are here?" she asked.

"You, me, your grandson and that corpse we found with you," Edward replied.

"My grandson?" she asked.

"Yes," Edward said, "He's also a hybrid. Half dragon, half human with reptilian DNA. I'm going to have him come here as well and take care of you, though."

"So, you're a..."

"Do not call me a breed traitor," he asked, "My mate was an honorable woman who loved me as much as I could love anybody. At the time, I was the only dragon on this world and not aware that there are others in alternate realities. I get that you have the Circle's prejudices, but, none of them have called me that. They actually respect my power and abilities."

His mother nodded, "It's all right. I was going to say father." She shook her head. "You are so precious to me... I can put aside my own personal feelings if you feel that way. I think I would like to meet my grandchild."

"That's going to happen soon," Edward said blushing at his error. "I have to contact him anyway, but, he won't be fighting there anyway."

The other Titans watched the interaction and had all smiles on their faces.

"Get some rest," Edward said, "I promise...I will be back as soon as possible. I will let the Circle know what is happening here."

Her eyes closed and Edward motioned the others out of the room.

"I want Arella to hang back here to watch over my mother," he said, "While I could use her knowledge of Trigon over there, we can communicate with her regardless."

He went to the communication board and dialed up his son.

"Pop!" David said, "What's going on? I can sense your emotions from here!"

"David, you best sit down," Edward said, "Nothing bad, but, remember hearing about Solor, the Dragon from an alternate universe?"

"Of course," he said.

"Well, we're all of the same species, son," Edward said, "I just found that out myself. And, you're not gonna believe this one...Your biological grandmother is here!"

"You're kidding me!" David said.

"No, I'm not," Edward said, "The team just found her and the body of another Dragon in the cave where Terra was petrified. She's not in the best shape, though. I had to transfer some of my power to her just to stabilize her. Sadly, though: This may be the only time that I think you'll get to meet her. I cannot take her back to her universe. Not with a war coming that I have to fight."

"I know," David replied, "Nightwing told me what was happening. I take it you want me to hang around Titan Tower instead?"

"Please," Edward said, "I would like that, very much, and I think she would want to know her grandson."

"I'll teleport over shortly then," he said.

Edward hung up and went back to the Med bay where his mother was sleeping. She looked elderly, which Edward expected, and at peace. But, he couldn't believe his luck. He was told that she was likely already gone or off in another universe or the future. He had no doubts that she killed the other Dragon and Edward knew that leaving that body there would render Terra's former memorial useless as the body rotted.

"Keep an eye on her," Edward said to Cyborg, "I have a duty to perform lest a dragon's body stinks up Terra's site. In fact, I think I will borrow Terra for this task."

"No worries," Cyborg said.

Edward went to find Terra and knocked on her door. She answered it.

"What's up?" she said.

"I need your services, my dear," he said, "We have to bury a dragon."

"We do?" she asked.

"Apparently," Edward said, "My mother killed one that just arrived."

"Wait," she said, "Your mom?"

"Long story, kid," Edward said, "But, she's resting in the Med Bay."

"Can I look in for a moment?" Terra asked, "I won't wake her."

"I suppose so," Edward replied.

They walked to the bay and looked in for a moment. Terra grinned broadly at that and they moved on.

She stopped Edward and grabbed him in a hug, "I'm so happy for you, Edward!"

"Thanks, Tara," he replied, "I'm kind of in shock right now, but, I am quite happy as well. I was told that she was likely dead or in some other universe or in the future."

They went to the roof and then off to her old cave.

A teleport later and they were outside.

"You don't have to go in," he said, "I can bring the body out."

"I'll wait, then."

Edward went in and looked at the corpse.

"May the First grant you the peace you might have been looking for," Edward said as he lifted the body up with a small grunt.

He teleported to where he could see the body better and gasped. "What the HELL?! A Dark Dragon!"

The dragon's scales were pitch black from head to tail, with sinister spines trailing from his head all the way to his tail. He looked similar to Malchior, with instead of a purple underbelly, he had a sickly green one. The open eyes were also black and even in death, Edward could see the viscous, unrelenting evil there. Edward closed the dragon's eyes, for they were creeping him out more than Raven ever could.

"Now, why were you here?" Edward pondered, "Maybe a spy mission or something? Have we lost the element of surprise already?"

He saw what killed the Dark Dragon: A hole blasted right through its chest so clean that there wasn't a drop of dragon's blood. His mother must have used up her reserves to do that.

"Where should we dispose of him?" Terra asked.

"Next to Malchior," Edward said, "This is a Dark Dragon, Terra. Probably got here the same way Solor did: A Tear of Oblivion. A dragon of pure evil. He was a young one, looks like."

Terra got on Edward's back and when Edward lifted back into the air, he lifted the corpse and teleported to the base of the mountain where Malchior was buried.

Terra's hands started to glow as her power activated and a large crater formed.

"Deeper," Edward said. The hole widened and deepened as a result and the Dark Dragon was let go. Edward wasn't about to show it any courtesy.

Terra closed the grave and it got treated to Edward's flame breath to seal it tight.

That duty done, they headed back to the Tower where David was waiting for them.

"I would hug you, son," Edward said, "I had to transport a Dark Dragon's corpse to a final resting place. Let me wash up, first."

David said, "Another dragon? What the heck is going on here?!"

"It's a really long story," Terra said as they went down.

Edward washed up real quick. He wanted to get the stink off him. Then, he and his son hugged.

They headed for the med bay and stood outside the door.

"Brace yourself," Edward said and allowed the door to open.

Edward's mother had awakened in the meantime and was sitting up, looking pretty healthy.

"Mother," Edward said, "This is your grandson, David."

She looked at him and smiled, "A grandson...your father must be proud."

"He is," David said and approached her. They hugged tightly, her prejudice forgotten. She had looked all her adult life to find Edward and not only found him, but, a grandson as well.

"The First be praised," she said, tears of joy running down her face, "I looked and looked for my son...What name did you assume?"

"Edward, mother," he said, "But, please, call me Kiinnum. The future Heir to the Light named me that."

"Born Unique," she said, "I love it." She frowned slightly. "I wish that I could have given you such a name. Alas, you were only a few days old when you were taken from me, and I was distracted by the Darkness attack after you hatched."

David took in the scene and was honestly puzzled. His father had a lot of layers and it looked like he was getting a crash course in family history.

"David," she said, smiling at the hybrid. "I want to tell you a story..."


	6. Calling All Heroes

**Chapter 6**  
**[Next day]****  
****[Titans Tower - Solor's Universe]**

Edward had a lot on his mind with the oncoming war and back home. He had arranged for his mother to be taken care of while he was gone and was hoping that her weakness was a temporary thing caused by the misfired Tear of Oblivion. From what he understood, it typically kicked someone into the future OR an alternate universe. But, never both. This time, though, Edward was pondering that she was a victim of both. If that was the case, maybe the effects could be neutralized or mitigated. He would be reporting to the Circle soon anyway and he was going to ask Sol not to say anything to the others. He wanted to surprise them.

But, his chosen duty had to come first, so, he returned to Solor's universe after reassuring his mother that the humans of his home would be happy to see her, that they had grown a bit. The Titans would protect her and would die for her, simply because she was his biological mother. That got her to relax a bit.

**[Flashback - 8 hours after Edward's mother was found]**

"Mother," Edward had said, "It's all right. For now, you have to trust my mate's mother. As I said, Arella is peaceful and that she is a close friend as well as my mother-in-law. You've already talked to your grandson, and, I know that there's a family level trust already there. As soon as it's feasible, I shall come get you and bring you back to Lair. But, I doubt that any of the dragons who sired me are alive or if they are, they are quite weak regardless.

"If we can defend Lair, I'll bring you home, but, to be honest, I fear that Lair will be one of the first places attacked. Darkness will want to hit the enemy base as quickly as possible and they have the advantage."

She nodded, "Darkness infected the land a long time before any of us were hatched. They'll be ready."

"So will I," Edward replied, "I need to get back as well. The Circle wants to give me a crash course, looks like. I can't afford the backlash from my weapons now."

"You sure I'll be safe here?" she asked.

"Absolutely," Edward said, "Darkness will not know that you are here if I can help it, and, I have powerful allies in this universe. The Justice League, I consider them all to be friends, so, they will be watching for anything odd around the Tower. And, your grandson inherited a lot of my abilities. Please, you'll be fine and as long as Raven or someone from our home universe can cast a Tear of Oblivion, I can be back here quickly."

"Have them teach you that spell," his mother suggested, "You have their magical abilities, I think."

"I would not be surprised," Edward replied.

But, now, back in the other Titan Tower with his wife and friends, Edward was concerned. He had lost precious hours dealing with the arrival of his mother and the Circle was about to be surprised.

He sighed, wondering why the Tear worked for him as a portal and to the time and place he needs to be, yet, tossed his mother to not just the future, but, a different universe.

_Maybe I've had a innate ability to cast this spell all the time? It seems to be a lot like my teleportation ability. But, if that's the case, it helps to explain why Darkness wanted me. They would have gotten me as a hatchling to take them wherever they wanted and gotten me to destroy Lair before my moral and ethics would have formed. But, I've always had to physically carry the person or object, though. Here, the spell either pulls the victim in like a vacuum cleaner or the person can jump through it._

**[Dark Lair]**

While Edward was musing over the developments, Grand Darkness was also concerned because his minion should have been back from Edward's universe with a report one way or another.

"Where in Oblivion is he?" Darkness said to his daughter, "He should have been back already. Even if that hybrid is still there, would it have killed my scout?"

"I have no idea, father," Vilea said, "But, we have more pressing matters. Our spy said that those Titans have had a sudden increase in encrypted radio transmissions and if the spy was right, the dragons that those idiots in the Circle implanted among the humans are being recalled.

"The Circle would not have recalled their troops unless they knew something was up."

"It is troublesome, daughter," Grand Darkness said, "But, once Trigon is summoned onto this plain of existence, it won't matter. We still have our own dragons to even the odds, do we not? Once my grandchild is born, the Circle will rue the day they banished me from their ranks."

"I'd be concerned with that Barnes character, father," said Vilea, "if this is the same whelpling that we failed to recover 3,000 years ago, there's no telling how powerful he truly is. We must assume the worst: That he is as strong as the mortals' Superman, if not more so. He won't have any major weaknesses."

"On the contrary," Darkness said, "Even if he doesn't have a physical weakness, we might test to see if his weakness is more of an emotional one. Find out who he holds close to his heart and attack him that way."

"We need to find him first, though," Vilea said, "And, the instinct to nest is getting stronger, I will need to find a suitable spot for my brood soon."

"Wherever you nest," Grand Darkness said, "Make sure it's well hidden. The Circle will seek to destroy them to prevent Trigon's summoning. We will need to have a plan in case that happens. We will have to kidnap Raven as a precaution."

Little did Grand Darkness realize: Kidnapping Raven would trigger Edward's rage, regardless of which one was taken. In Edward's mind, they were the same woman. Also, Darkness didn't know that Edward and Rachael were mind-linked and that the native Raven was also tuned into the link. Any attempt to take either of them by force would result in one extremely angry dragon. Solor had seen that rage once on the Collector's ship and that was out of necessity, and it was replaced by a sense of sheer awe as Edward activated the Blessing of Light.

"Make plans to take her," Darkness said, "We will break her like Starborn was broken. And if our little scout isn't back in six hours, we will have to assume the worst. We can't wait around for him."

"How do we get around the hybrid?" Vilea wondered. Since the failed attempt to seize Edward as a hatchling, all the Darkness knew is that he was banished to another universe and had not heard anything until the last few months. They did have a contact in Edward's universe for a while, but, they stopped getting reports shortly after the Collector found Solor and Edward and was told by Grand Darkness to try to take them.

"Grand Darkness," another minion said after emerging from another Tear and averted his gaze accordingly, "The dragons hiding with the human filth are withdrawing."

"I am aware of that," Darkness said, "Unless you have some additional information that I can use…"

The scout gulped and said, "I intercepted one of the communications from the Circle, Milord Darkness." He held out a sheet of paper and handed it to Vilea, as he knew handing something to Grand Darkness would likely result in a thrashing.

Vilea read it and snarled, "They know!"

Her father took the paper from her and read it.

"Greetings," the paper read in the native language, "By order of the Circle, you are hereby ordered to withdraw to Lair with all due speed. The Circle has determined that we must prepare for hostilities with all haste. The time has come for us to set aside long standing issues with the mortal world and ally ourselves with them against the forces of Darkness. It is imperative that you make your farewells to your assignments and relationships for the foreseeable future. All solders will be gathering in the center of Lair in one week's time to meet with the Commanding General, Kiinnum. This includes you.

Signed,

Feylfil, the Light of the Circle."

Darkness dismissed the minion and after the smaller dragon had left, Grand Darkness roared a string of ancient profanities.

"We have lost the element of surprise!" he snarled, ""Born Unique', huh? That means the hybrid has to be here somewhere. If he's as strong as I think he is, he will have every Oblivion-Damned Dragon in Lair at his side.

"It also means that Starborn has recovered already! He convinced someone to get to the Circle and got them to prepare. I thought you said he was BROKEN!"

Vilea cringed, "He was broken, Father. I raped him so many times and he was drugged so heavily that he shouldn't have been able to even escape. Someone helped him to recover!"

"And how would that have happened?" Grand Darkness snarled, "He only escaped due to that Light power he's got. He should have been unable to warn anyone, and, you telling him has undone our plans. We must summon Trigon quickly, and before they have a chance to shore up Lair, we shall strike. Summon our troops. And get the Gem. In case the Twilight whelp isn't hatched in time, we shall need her after all.

"Also, make plans to destroy that Titans Tower. That seems to be a base of operations for the mortals. I want it flattened. And if you can kill those Titans, all the better."

Needless to say, Grand Darkness was not pleased.

**[Titans Tower - Solor's Universe]**

Edward was working through the speech he would want Solor to give to the assembled superheroes and re-writing sections that he didn't like too much when there was a knock on his door.

"Come!" he said.

The door opened to reveal Sol there.

Edward stood up and shook his friend's hand.

"Please," he said, "Pull up a chair."

Sol did that and sat down with a sigh.

"When can you return to Lair?" Sol asked, "We need to start getting you in the loop on planning, Kiinnum. The Circle has met again and after that little display, it was obvious that the solders will follow you. You've been commissioned as the Commander-in-Chief of our forces, if you will accept it. You'll have full reign on who you have for your support team and the Circle will fully support you."

"I would be honored to accept, Grand Light," Edward honored his friend by averting his gaze.

He continued, "I can return for a short time today, Sol, now that I know where Lair is, I can teleport there directly. But, I need to devote some time to this speech for the superheroes on the human side if we are going to convince them to help in this fight. And, telling them that there's an entire race of Dragons will not be all that easy. I have no idea how they will respond, and, later revealing to the general population will probably panic some folks, but, it needs to be done.

"Also, there's something else: Apparently the Traitor sent a scout to my universe. He won't be coming back."

"Oh?" Sol said, "Interesting. I thought that the Titans did not kill."

"They didn't," Edward said, "He was intercepted on arrival not by my Titans. It was my mother…"

"Wait a second," Sol interrupted, "Are you certain?"

"Absolutely certain," Edward said with a grin, "Koriand'r called me and told me that they found a very distraught female dragon asking for her whelp taken because it belonged to no clan and was special, it only took Nightwing a moment to put the clues together. Needless to say, I had Raven open a Tear.

"As Grand Life predicted, she's pretty weak by your standards and I am hopeful that is was due to her being transported into the future and my home universe. She was also very frightened of staying with the Titans. From what Beast Boy said, she thought that they were going to slay her at first.

"The Dragon she killed was as black as Raven's powers, Sol. Nothing but pure evil."

"She shouldn't have been able to kill a much younger Dragon," Sol said.

"It looked like she used the last of her Light weapon to blast a hole through the other dragon's chest. Terra and I buried the corpse," Edward replied, "When this is over, I want to bring her home in case it's her time."

"Is she still angry at us?" Sol asked.

"I think she is to some degree," Edward said, "But, she is starting to understand why you did what you had to do. I think the last memory she had before meeting me was right after you banished me for my own safety. I can tell how she loves me and she'll forgive you at some point, seeing how I've developed. She's even accepted that I am a father and adores my son already. Let me worry about getting her to forgive the Circle, though. Who knows? Maybe she'll come to forgive our mortal neighbors before the First claims her."

"The others will be pleased to hear this, Kiinnum," Sol said.

"If it's all right, though," Edward asked, "I would like to tell them. It'll be a little bit of good news, especially for Life."

Sol smiled, "That's fine with me. Tell me, how is Solor doing?"

"Still beating himself up," Edward replied honestly, "The damage was extensive and, between us, I have major concerns. I know he's on the fence about combat, especially now. He knows his lack of willpower is responsible for this. I do not blame him, though. How can I? I think that Vilea would have merely drugged him from the beginning, but, she was vicious about rubbing it in his face after they did the act. She could have killed him outright, Sol, but, she didn't. She wanted to hurt him in every way possible.

"But my long term feeling? He's young and will bounce back, given time and the right motivation. And, I feel that he will earn his rightful position back as your heir. His pride was shattered by the ordeal, and, to be honest, I think that if he fight for someone other than himself. If he fights for his people, his girlfriend, and his mortal family, it will allow him to fully heal. He's slowly learning what your dearest mate could not teach him and what he refused to see in his anger and grief over losing her and the brood. He's learning what I learned at a relatively young age: When one must fight, one needs to fight for a cause that is greater than yourself. Even in ancient Greece, with my honor sisters Xena and Gabrielle, I wasn't fighting for just myself. I fought alongside them for the greater good of mankind. When Gabrielle was attacked by slave traders, they were sent to the First for judgment. I wasn't about to put my friend's freedom in jeopardy. She was pregnant with twins. She left one with the Amazon nation. The baby boy was left with me and my Callisto. The rest, you somewhat know. He was killed in a storm and his death killed Callisto inside. She had lost too much and her mind snapped.

"Starborn did agree to come back to Lair, though. I will bring him, however, and guarantee his behavior if need be."

"I'd keep him away from Grand Death," Sol recommended, "He's still fuming at this whole thing. And, I am sorry for your loss, even though it's thousands of years late."

Edward looked at the Grand Light and smiled sadly, "Coming from a being as old as we are, I truly appreciate your sentiment. It was one of the few big failures and I paid a huge price over the centuries.

"I suggest Grand Death deal with it," Edward said coldly, "I'm not wanting to disrespect anyone in the Circle, Sol. I think you know that, however, Grand Death needs to at least tolerate that Starborn is coming back and I want him to be at my side representing the Light Dragons. Golmul can represent the Earth Dragons as part of my inner circle. He said that he's one of the strongest in his Clan, if not all the clans. I certainly can respect that. 'Stone Strong' seems fitting for him. I'll need names of other strong dragons from the other clans as well. Preferably if they have leadership qualities already and have the respect of the other solders, as I might not have the time needed to vet them normally. If the solders respect them, I may have to run with that. I'm also thinking that there will be two fronts. The main one against Trigon, and a second one focused on the defense of Lair.

"Also, I have an idea to help rebuild his confidence. Tomorrow, the superheroes of this world will gather here at Titan Tower and I'm writing a short speech for Solor to deliver that will help, I hope. If he can convince the superheroes to join with us in an alliance, all the better."

"May I see it?" Solor asked.

"Sure," Edward said and turned the screen towards Sol.

"You're more tech savvy than I am," Sol said.

Edward nodded and put the document to the top and said, "Use the down arrow button to move down line by line or the page down button to move down a page of text."

Edward tapped the CTRL-S shortcut to save the document, just in case.

Sol read through the document and nodded, "This looks OK, but, I have a few suggestions as well."

Edward pulled the keyboard over and said, "Lay them on me." Thus the two dragons started bonding over a speech for Solor to deliver the next day.

Later on Sol said, "I'm sorry for harping on this issue, but, we need you back at Lair for a while. We need to start your treatment and training to use your weapons."

"What does this treatment entail?" Edward asked.

"Well, what we were going to do was a procedure to make your body immune to your weapons. Normally, we do not have any backlash from using our flame or other weapons, yet, for some reason, you have backlash," Sol replied, "How bad is it, though?"

"It depends on how much power I put into the weapon," Edward said, "My Ice Breath, for example, if I unleash it at full power freezes my lower jaw. My flame causes bad burns, and lightning can also do that, but, it's not as bad as the lightning is my range weapon. What you folks saw was my full power lightning. That's when the electricity actually arcs between my ridges."

"It's also wasting that power," Sol noted, "We can teach you not to waste that excess power in your lightning attack. But, I have another question: When we saw you as a hatchling and your first attack, your ridges didn't light up, what happened to cause that?"

"Easy explanation: I was exposed to radiation when I lived in ancient Greece. Some travelers came into the village where I lived at the time and were quite ill. I was able to use my healing powers to save their lives. When questioned, they had some radioactive ores that were warm to the touch. When I picked them up, I absorbed the radiation without realizing what happened. It wasn't long after that I discovered that my ridges would light up. At first, it wasn't something I could control, but, since then, I can determine if they light up or not.

"When I demoed that for Solor and Starfire, Solor wasn't happy. I tried to hit her with a small ice attack. She dodged it and Solor objected. When I lit the ridges up without an actual attack, they were ready to dodge it."

Sol laughed seeing that in his mind. It was a warm laugh, much like Solor's.

"So, you've learned over time how to control your weapons from a non-lethal to a very deadly power," Sol noted, "Impressive. How often do you have to go to your full strength?"

"Not often," Edward replied, "I use the force needed to cope with the threat. Like an unarmed punk trying to mug me or one of my friends might only eat a punch that knocks them cold. Someone with a tank trying to take me down, might end up seeing his weapon iced over. When I fight something bigger, say Trigon, the only option I have is deadly force.

"When Solor bit my wing joint, he was lucky Rachael was there to calm me. When my anger is fully triggered, whatever causes me to lose it is lucky to be alive. Solor would have been beaten worse than Grand Death's beatdown, and, knowing now what I do about him and his blood family, you would have had every right to return that 'favor'."

"If Starborn had deserved it, Edward," Sol said, "I would do nothing. He is an adult now, and he needs to face the consequences of his actions. A lesson, I fear, he is learning the hard way."

"I'm just happy," Edward said, "that he is actually learning. I took him under my wing to mentor him while he was visiting. He was afraid that I'd be, well, like you and I'm not. I'm more laid back usually, and I treated him kindly, but, fair. Something that I know he appreciated.

"But, that's the peacetime Edward he got to know. When I'm in a war mode and have troops under my command, I'm a hard nosed son of a bitch. I keep it as business, not personal as much as possible. But, woe to the solder who thinks it wise to call me a breed traitor because of my wife being human. I'll teach him a lesson that he will not forget. And, that's assuming that Rachael doesn't hear it. When she allows her rage to run free, I would feel sorry for that person. One time, a small time villain named Dr. Light managed to really anger her. She sucked him into her robe and when Robin got her to snap out of it, the man was badly frightened to the point the Teen Titans had to put him in the mental hospital for a short time. Since then, he's been deathly scared of a repeat performance."

"There's no need to worry on that front," Sol said, "The troops will know that comments directed towards Raven will not be tolerated by you and certainly not by the Circle. They are your troops, Kiinnum. As a result, however you seek to impose discipline is your discretion, just don't kill them yourself." Sol added the last part as a small joke, though. He did not want to see any dragon solders killed, but, as Grand Life admitted, it would happen anyway.

Edward knew that as well, but, the alternative was worse: A dead planet and the universe falling to Trigon.

He was also worried about something else. This was very likely the same Trigon that was believed to be dead in Edward's universe. He had done some research in his universe after Trigon's failed re-invasion and discovered that it would take a lot to kill such a demon and that he was practically immortal. Trigon may have decided that Edward's universe was too well guarded and moved to a universe more "Ripe" for the taking. Edward wouldn't know until he was summoned and how he was summoned. And the how had Edward concerned.

"Sol," he said, "I'm embarrassed to ask this, but, how long does it take for an egg to hatch?"

Sol frowned at that. "For a normal dragon, it would take up to one month for the eggs to develop inside of the mother. However, it could take up to two for a hybrid, as your mother said that she had the need to nest, but spent an entire month waiting before she laid your egg. We may have about one month left before the first of the eggs will be hatched. If Solor was forced to mate with her every day, then she will lay up to seven eggs.

"Your mother only laid the one, since you were an even hybrid from six or seven different fathers. My mate with Starborn, he was the only one laid. The brood we lost was five eggs, as you know, one hatched, but, died minutes later. The others..."

Sol actually looked grieved then.

"I'm sorry," Edward said sincerely, putting his hand on Sol's shoulder, "for the pain of a lost brood, Sol. I can understand Starborn's reaction totally. He so wanted to be a big brother. I'm sorry that he allowed his anger to tear your family apart. Yet, I am grateful that he has realized, like you have, that it's more important to forgive. I would hope that the others in the Circle would be as forgiving."

"What about Darkness, though?" Sol challenged, "Surely you do not believe that the Traitor should be forgiven?"

"Forgiveness has limits," Edward replied, "They tried to kidnap me as a hatchling. His daughter defiled Starborn and tore him apart inside. They drugged your son, Sol. They destroyed him and if you had not called for Rachael and myself, the damage might have been permanent. But, he knew that I could help. Before he escaped, he was calling for me in his mind. So, no...No forgiveness for them. I consider Starborn to be family, and because you are his father, that makes you part of my family as well. I cannot merely overlook such an affront. Not something this serious. They insulted not just your family honor, Grand Light. They insulted mine as well. And a Dragon's Honor demands cleansing and restoration, does it not?

"Vilea, I may forgive if we somehow flip her. Grand Darkness...not gonna happen. Even my forgiveness has limits, brother. The bastard tried to seize me as a helpless whelp. I cannot overlook that, even if I cannot remember it."

Sol was surprised. Edward had spent his entire life in another universe, yet, he understood a lot about his own kind. It got him to thinking that maybe Edward would be a better Heir to the Light than his own son. He also knew, though, that Edward would probably not want to stay. Edward has his duties in his own universe to his son and his extended family of Titans there, as well as to his Raven.

Edward and Sol worked on the speech for a while longer, Edward doing the typing, though.

Eventually, though, Edward said, "Enough typing for now. I think this is where it ought to be. Do you think Solor can handle this?"

"I think so," Sol said, "But, only Solor can know for sure, though."

"One way to find out," Edward said, pulling the borrowed communicator.

"Edward calling Solor," he said.

"Who calls Solor?" was the reply.

"It's Edward and your father, my brother," Edward said, "Could you come to the guest quarters where Rachael and I are at? There's something that I need to ask you."

"On my way," Solor said and disconnected.

Solor arrived a few moments later and Edward welcomed him into the room.

"I'd like you to read this," Edward said, handing him the fresh off the printer pages.

"What is this?" Solor asked.

"A speech that you're going to deliver tomorrow," Edward said, "You and your father know more about the Darkness and Rachael and I know more about Trigon. Your job is to sell the superheroes. Robin or I'll introduce you and help handle Trigon related questions. You and Sol, if willing, can handle the deeper history.

"Solor, I have faith in you. If Sol doesn't mind, I know he also has faith in his own flesh and blood. Your mother had that same faith in you and I know you would do her proud."

Solor looked at the pages, and sighed. He figured something like this would happen. And despite how he felt, he knew it would take a lot of courage for him to go through with it. "Very well. I shall read it, and prepare for tomorrow."

"You are not going to practice it for us?" Sol asked, surprised.

"No", said Solor. "I need my privacy for now, Father. If you do not mind..." He bowed his head, and turned around, exiting the room as quickly as he came.

"You're certain this is a good idea?" asked Sol. "Normally, he would be willing to ask for assistance when it comes to speeches. He's not the most... eloquent talker in the world."

"I'm positive", Edward replied. "We'll just have to wait and see tomorrow."

XxXxX

It took a good few hours, but soon everyone that the Titans had called had arrived. The Doom Patrol, Justice League, and the allies the Titans had made over the years arrived en mass, practically flooding the gates. And even other heroes from other countries arrived, such as Pantha, Kole and Gnarrk, Red Star, and many of the allies that they would make in the future agreed to show up, although some were late (who knew cavemen were afraid of planes?).

Sol was looking at the very crowded Ops center, and whistled. "Impressive", said the old dragon. He turned to Rachael. "I assume some of these are allies you made in your universe?"

"Yeah", she replied, pointing to the future Titans. "A lot of them are allies that we make during a war that my Titans has already gone through. Don't tell any of them, though; it's going to take a very surprising turn of events and while it would be nice to see how it goes, with you guys here, even I don't know how it will turn out."

"I understand", said Sol. "Certain events may or may not take place, and with our history turning out different than yours, you have no idea whether or not our universe will go down the same path."

"Exactly," Edward said, stepping alongside them, "Then again, just with Solor being a founding member of the team swerved history a bit. I know the Teen titans here have had a lot of the same missions, but, with different endings. In our universe, Kitten is still a thorn in our sides. Here, your son flipped her to our side." He pointed to a blonde woman who had also arrived, "in fact, it looks like she got the word as well. If you'll excuse me...curiosity abounds."

Edward walked over to Kitten and said, "Excuse me? You are Kitten, correct?"

She looked at Edward and said, "I am. Who are you?"

"My name is Edward," he replied with a warm smile, "It is an honor to meet you. I have heard a lot about you, young woman. I just came over to wish you good luck and that you made the right decision on your date with Solor."

Kitten looked stunned, "How do you know of me?"

"I know this will be hard for you to believe," Edward replied, "But, I am not native to this universe, but, an alternate universe where your counterpart actually went on that prom date with Robin. It did not turn out that well for her. She ended up in a prison cell. You, however, I can see have made that honest break and joined the good guys side. Stay on the path you have chosen for yourself. Believe me, you will never regret it. Find one of these super heroes to be your mentor, if you would like. I can see that you are a likable person, Kitten. One that I would be honored to consider a friend here."

Kitten saw that Edward was sincere in his words and encouragement. She smiled back and said, "Thank you. I will do my best."

Beast Boy was having fun, talking to his old teammates. Mento, meanwhile, was picking up on the despair of someone's thoughts, and soon began looking around the room, trying to figure out who was projecting such depressing thoughts. Eventually, he broke off from the rest of the Doom Patrol, and soon found Solor in the hall, looking over the speech.

"You alright, kid?" he asked, surprising the dragon. Solor looked up at the man, then back down.

"I am... not." He sighed. "I do not wish to share the information now, as I will have to tell everyone at once."

"You don't have to say anything", said the leader of the Doom Patrol. "You feel like no matter how many times you hear it, you don't deserve to be forgiven." Solor was surprised he knew, but nodded. "Look, I'm not going to pry. No matter what you've done, though... I'm sure that if you said you are sorry, and your friends forgave you, then you do deserve it." He turned away. "By the way, I think everyone's beginning to wonder why they're here. You might want to get that speech underway."

Solor gulped a bit, and nodded, beginning to head to the front of the Ops center. Soon, he could feel the eyes beginning to fall upon him, and after a few moments, the room went silent. He looked at all of the heroes, from Superman of the Justice League, to Kole and Gnarrk, and finally, his eyes landed on his girlfriend, Starfire.

He knew that their relationship was being strained because of this. During the last few missions, Starfire had barely been able to fly, and her Starbolts were much weaker than they used to be. He looked at her, and only saw the failure that he only had himself to blame on.

_And yet,_ he thought to himself, _she still does not blame me. She does not hate me, even though every fiber of my body says I do not deserve such forgiveness. _He looked down at the speech, and opened his mouth to talk, but could not say the first words on the page. _Why?! Why does no one hate me for what I have done?!_

_... perhaps... I do not deserve hate?_

At those words, a spark glimmered in his eye. For the first time in a long time, he felt something other than self loathing.

_My friends forgave me. Even when they know that it is because of me that our world is in danger, they do not hate me. My father does not call me a traitor because I was tricked by a darkness dragon. The Circle is calling me back because they require my help, even when it is my doing that this happened._

_No... not mine. Hers._

_It's not my fault. It's that Dark Dragoness'. She was at fault._

Finally, he realized that everyone was still staring at him. However, he did the one thing no one expected.

He threw the speech into the air, letting the paper fly around him. "I am not one for speeches", he said, smirking. "Thank you, my friend, but I do not need your words this time."

Edward smiled. It seemed Solor was on the path to recovering after all.

"My name is Filkiin", he began. "In your words, it means Starborn. However, I chose the name Solor when I came to the mortal world. Now, before anyone asks, no I am not human, or alien. I am native to this world." He began to pace. "Tell me... what is the most well known creature from your fairy tales? What creature is known for flying high and casting shadows on the ground the size of large buildings? What can breathe fire, and has scales as strong as diamonds?" As he spoke, his wings began to grow on his back, his scales began to show, and smoke began to billow out of his nostrils. "And... what in the world made you think that dragons could not possibly be real when Dinosaurs walked this earth millions of years ago?

"Dragons are real, heroes of the mortal world. We have been around since the beginning of time. And believe me, not all of them are power hungry, greedy monsters that want nothing more than to eat everything in sight. Many of us just wanted to live in peace. However... I tell you that there are the power hungry, the greedy, the pure evil monsters that haunt your dreams. This is known as the Darkness. And it is this Darkness that threatens not just your world, but mine as well. A few weeks ago... I was a prisoner of the Darkness. I was lucky to escape with my life... if not my sanity." He sighed, deciding to come clean. "Before I escaped, I was tricked. I was fooled by a Dark Dragoness that goes by the name of Vilea. And she raped me. Several times a day for a week straight." He saw all of the shocked looks, and held up his hands. "Believe me... it was not pleasant at all. Not only was I raped... I was mocked. Tortured. And driven completely mad by her. It was because of this madness, however, that she revealed her plans to me."

"The Darkness is planning on summoning a demon. A very old, very powerful demon that goes by the name of Trigon the Terrible. He has conquered thousands of worlds in different dimensions and universes. And he has his eyes on ours next. Originally, his plan was to use his own daughter, Raven, as the portal to this world. But Darkness has another plan, that they are going to set into motion within the next month. Instead of Raven... they will use the child of Vilea. They will use my spawn to summon him.

"I am not asking for forgiveness. I am not asking you to understand. I am not asking you to feel sorry for me. Instead... I am asking you to fight alongside me. I may not deserve it... but my people are getting ready for this fight. And as much as I hate to say it... I do not think we will win without your help.

"I will not be the one leading you, as I am needed elsewhere. I am only here to ask one thing of you. Speak to Rachael, if you wish to join the war. Just know that once you do... it may be the last battle you will fight. I am asking you to fight a war that we could very well lose. But I only ask because of the small chance that we can win. I only ask because if we do nothing... then Trigon has already won."

Edward was stunned. Solor had spoken quite well, he was open with what happened to him, and he blew the lid off of dragons walking the world. But, there was a bunch of grumbling among the assembled heroes as well and Edward decided to step in.

"Hey, Everyone," he said, "Excuse me. I need to interject a bit here.

"First, thank you, Solor for your words. I can see that you are feeling a lot better.

"Second, my name is Edward Barnes and I, too, am a Dragon in disguise and I have walked the Earth for 3,000 years. In my universe, I am a member of the Titans, the more adult counterparts of the Teen Titans you see here. You see, this Vilea Solor mentioned possessed Raven and opened a portal between universes and attempted to banish Solor there forever. After an initial skirmish, Solor realized that he was no longer here, in this universe. I befriended Solor and gradually trust was developed. Eventually, Raven, with the help of Solor's father, was able to recreate the spell that opened the portal and Solor, along with his girlfriend, Starfire of the Planet Tamaran, returned home.

"Folks, Trigon invaded my world, petrifying everyone and everything. The sky was turned blood-red, the oceans became lava and the only ones who were barely able to stop Trigon were the Teen Titans. They did not have help except one of their arch enemies sided with the Teen Titans and was a huge help in the fight.

"After I joined the Titans, Raven and I fell in love and became engaged. During that time, we discovered that Trigon was about to make another attempt and kidnapped me. To make a long story short, though. I eventually escaped and captured Trigon's sons. I fought through his fire solders and eventually broke loose. Trigon attempted to stop me and we battled to the death. Trigon discovered what I was capable of and was supposedly killed.

"The fiend had another plan, though, and tried to corrupt my Raven. The Titans and myself went into her mind. A piece of Trigon had implanted itself in there and we battled again. When Raven tried to capture me in her soul-self powers, I thought that I had lost her, triggering a rage that my universes' Titans know to back away from. Trigon discovered as I tore out his throat that coming back was a bad idea. Raven came back to herself and was able to get me to calm down.

"I recently went to speak to Solor's ruling government, a group of Dragons known as the Circle, and convinced them of the dire threat we all face. And make no mistake, friends, this will make every single war that humanity has fought look like a playful slap fight. If Trigon is not stopped, and humanity falls, he will attack Tamaran, he will attack Gordania, he will attack the home of the Green Lantern Corp and every place in the universe.

"As Solor said, my wife, Rachael will be heading up the human resistance. She's already been through this, and I know that all of you started as a single superhero trying to make a difference. Like Batman in Gotham City, Superman in Metropolis, and others. Some formed teams, like the Doom Patrol or the Justice League or your hosts, the Teen Titans all under one person's banner. I ask that for here, for now, that you follow Rachael's banner. I have the utmost faith in her. She has been cleansed of Trigon's evil influence, so, there is no concern in my mind about that."

"Are you proposing an alliance?" Superman asked.

"That's exactly what I'm proposing," Edward replied, "We have to work together, Dragons and humans alike. It'll be a first for this world, but, I've always allied myself with the humans of my world. It's been of a mutual benefit."

Batman piped up, "OK, you claim to be a Dragon. Prove it."

Edward smirked, "Sure, not a problem." The next thing that the assembled superheroes saw was Edward going to his mini-Dragon form, scaring poor Gnarrk in the process.

"Kole," Edward asked, shocking the pink-haired teenager, "Please reassure Gnarrk that I mean no harm."

"How do you know me?" she asked.

"In my universe, we're good friends," Edward replied. Kole smiled at that one.

"But, to continue on," Edward said, "This is just one of the sizes I use. If I used my full size, the folks across the Bay would panic. I'm 150 meters long, nose to tail."

That bit of info got the attention of the superheroes in a hurry. Needless to say, they realized that they had an ally that was huge.

"However," Edward said, "I have also discovered that while I am massive by your standards, one of the Earth Dragons I had the honor of meeting makes me look puny. He was so large that he could only hide in a dormant volcano and when he stood up to join in declaring War, the volcano crumbled. So, I'm certainly not the largest of my kind."

"If you don't mind a personal question," Green Lantern asked, "Just how powerful are you? What kind of weapons do you have?"

"Good question," Edward replied, "Strength wise, more than enough to take down a Tamaranian. Probably closer to Superman, I think, but, I've never tested that with my universe's counterpart.

"I have three breath weapons: Fire, Ice and Lightning as well as able to fire starbolts when needed."

"Impressive," Green Lantern said, voicing the thoughts of many of the folks there.

"Why should we join this alliance?" Speedy asked.

"Because unlike in my universe," Edward replied, "Trigon may have the Dark Dragons as his allies and we need to counter that threat. In my universe, the Teen Titans only had one temporary ally and that was Slade. Here, we have a chance to meet this threat head on with a show of force ready for action. Everyone will benefit if we can stop Trigon from taking over, dragons and humans alike. The dragons were not easy to convince, but, they agreed that it was time to come out of hiding."

"How long have dragons been around, again?" Wonder Woman asked.

"Millions of years," Solor replied, "When the First created this world, the elements were all battling for supremacy until the First calmed them and established a balance. The Dragons were created to maintain that balance. As a result, there are several different clans: Light, Dark, Fire, Water, Earth, Life and Death. It's the Dark Ones who sparked an uprising in the time of the Dinosaurs, and they were banished as a result."

"So," Wonder Woman asked, "Just how long do Dragons live?"

"Typical dragons live to be around 2,000 years or so," Solor explained, "However, those in the Circle are immortal, well, that is until they name an heir and voluntarily pass their title and power on. Then, they also pass on. That's totally voluntary. The leader of the Dark Dragons, Vilea's father, led the Dark Uprising and that makes him millions of years old."

Sol, for his part, had remained silent, but, deep down, he knew that Solor had not only turned the corner in his recovery, he was proving that he was, indeed worthy of being restored as an heir. Sol also saw how Edward and Solor would be a great team.

"How long do we have to prepare?" Hawkgirl asked.

"Good question," Edward replied, "I would estimate 45 to 60 days, based on how Solor was attacked a week and a half ago. Seeing how Solor's children will be hybrid dragons complicates matters greatly. They will be Twilight dragons, half Light dragon, half Dark dragon, so, it might take extra time to lay the eggs."

"And how many will there be?" Hawkgirl asked.

"Anywhere from one to seven," Solor replied, "We will have to find her nest and, destroy them all."

That got the group in an uproar.

"Friends!" Edward called out over the din, "I share your sentiments, but, we have to find these eggs and destroy them. There is no choice in the matter. If they hatch, it only takes one for Darkness to use as a portal for Trigon. If we deny the Darkness dragons the use of these eggs, it will delay Trigon's entry for a few years and that gives us all much needed time to plan and prepare. Even Solor agrees that these must be destroyed and they would be his whelps. Would you rather have two months at most to prepare or a couple of years before the Gem ... Raven ... is used to destroy the world? Trigon's arrival will happen regardless."

The superheroes were stunned. Edward had managed to shock a group of people who were hard to shock. There were a few exceptions, of course, but, the younger folks were surprised and they turn to look at Raven as if to say, "You're kidding, right?"

"Raven did not choose who her father is," Solor said, "There's no sense in pinning blame for this on her or anyone. If we can stop Trigon from arriving now, we can prepare."

"What are we waiting for?" Superman said, "I've talked to the members of the League and we're in."

Mento said, "Count the Doom Patrol in as well." That got a smile out of Beast Boy.

"My universes' Titans are in," Edward said, "No need to even ask them. They were ready when I returned a couple days ago.

"For those superheroes who are independent: We need all the help you can provide. This fight will be a hard one."

Jericho raised a hand.

"Go ahead, Jericho," Edward said, "I know sign language, so, it's OK."

"I'm in," he signed, "I don't have much to offer as opposed to some of the people here, but, I can't sit back and do nothing."

Edward translated for the folks who couldn't read sign language and replied, "You have a unique gift that will come in handy, though. You see, everyone, Jericho is probably the only one here who can possess someone and take over their bodies. The Jericho of my universe once possessed me with my permission and enjoy the feeling of being a dragon."

Kole said, "I'm in as well."

Everyone looked at the pink haired teenager and wondered what she brought to the table.

She answered their question by transforming to her crystal form.

"Kole is currently in an indestructible crystal form," Edward explained, "One of her unique abilities in this form is to focus energy attacks, like Starfire's starbolts, my lightning, and probably Solor's light attack. You guys do NOT want to be on the wrong end of his laser, trust me."

Kole reverted back to normal and smiled, "You certainly know what I'm capable of."

"You're a very unique young woman, Kole," Edward replied, "I am sorry that people used your powers for their personal gain in this world. I am grateful that you're willing to set that aside."

"All this chit-chat can wait," Batman growled, "What are we supposed to expect when Trigon arrives, assuming that no one stops these eggs from hatching?"

Rachael stepped forward and said, "It will not be pretty. If Trigon is summoned successfully, the sky will turn into a deep red mess with clouds spiraling out from where Trigon is, the oceans will turn to lava, all living things will be turned to stone. That's not the worst of it, though. Trigon eats souls, storing them until such time as he needs them to grow his power. This will be needed right away because he will be weakened when he gets here. The greatest threat here is if he eats dragon souls. If he captures someone like Edward or Solor's father, he will be almost unstoppable. This is why we must prevent his arrival or failing that, keep him weakened. When we stopped him in my universe, he was still weakened."

"The other part is that Trigon is practically immortal," Raven said, "Sadly, even Edward couldn't truly keep Trigon down. He would merely find another universe to invade. And, he would be summoned to the closest one with the right conditions: A portal that is half good, half evil. This means that, yes, Solor's spawn would fit that bill as easily as I would or even my counterpart could still fit the bill."

"Actually, Raven," Edward said, "Trigon can't use Rachael, she's been cleansed."

"How will the civilians react to seeing Dragons?" Aqualad asked.

"That's a good question," Edward replied, "It depends on how we're introduced. If they see the friendlier Dragons first, like Solor and myself, it may make life easier. If they see Dark Dragons first, all bets are off as the civilians will likely panic and call in the military to defend themselves."

"The civilians will probably see fighting anyway," Solor said, "This many superheroes in one place would get their attention. And I think your media would also be very curious as to why there was an emergency meeting."

"How do we keep any dragon fights out of the cities?" one superhero asked.

"By any means necessary," Edward said, "I am also concerned about that as well. Not all dragons will be so kind as to not have a throwdown in the middle of Jump City, or Metropolis, or some other major city where I would be content to keep the fighting to the deserts of this world or some other isolated area.

"And, no, there would be little in the way of being able to warn the population to hunker down or evacuate, either."

**[Cave of Darkness]**

As the superheroes were meeting, Grand Darkness had been informed of the sudden gathering and it didn't take him long to realize that his element of surprise was gone.

However, he did see it as an opportunity.

"We may not be able to start summoning Trigon yet", he growled, "but we can be rid of those pesky mortals that dare to challenge my might!" He roared loudly, gaining the attention of everyone in the Grand Darkness' lair. "My children! The time to hide is over! War has been declared upon us!" He smirked. "I am sending you all to the mortal civilization of Jump City. There, you fill find a large tower shaped like a T. Destroy it, and kill everyone inside! For the Darkness shall extinguish the Light!"

Many young, strong dragons roared in response the phrase that Solor heard almost a year ago, "Darkness extinguish Light!" and began casting their spells. Dozens of Tears began to appear, unknowing of what kind of force they'd see on the other side.

The Darkness invasion had begun.

**[Titans Tower]**

As Edward, Rachael and the other heroes began to speak to the other heroes, Solor was looking out of the window, towards the sea. He was still recovering from what he had gone through, he knew that much. But he couldn't just sit there and mope anymore. He needed to fight this.

That was when he noticed the first Tear of Oblivion open out in the sea.

Immediately, he sat up, alarmed. Was someone trying to contact them from Lair? He looked back at his father, who also noticed the Tear and looked just as alarmed as he did. It didn't take much for him to figure out, and he snarled, his eyes beginning to glow green. Without a word, he ran to the roof as fast as he could, needing the space to grow and reveal his true form. Like it or not, the Darkness was here.

He arrived at the roof, and rapidly began to grow to his full size, just as the first Darkness Dragon began to enter the area. He roared, gaining the attention of everyone who had not noticed the Tears as he began to bellow.

"Dark Traitors! You first imprison me and think you can break me without repercussions?! Then you have the gall to attack MY home?!" He let out a roar again. "To arms, heroes! The Darkness is attacking! We must keep them from reaching the city!" As he finished his call to arms, he charged his Light weapon, using it to push one rather large dragon back into the Tear, more than likely severely injuring it.

Edward saw the Tears forming and the assembled heroes saw him also race to the Rooftop.

"Sol!" He said, "Get reinforcements...NOW! As many as want to fight!"

Sol opened his own Tear and jumped through. It closed right away.

"You sons of bitches want a fight," Edward snarled, "You got one!" He morphed to his Dragon form and after clearing the roof, let off a roar that echoed across the Bay and enlarged to his full size.

[Ravens, keep in contact with me, call out patterns and strays. Rachael, open a mental link with the Martian Manhunter,] he ordered.

Edward would have to ignore the backlash from his breath weapons and lit up his spinal ridges a brilliant white. Power started arcing through them as he prepared to fire...

This was going to be one hell of a battle.


	7. The First Battle of Titan Tower

**Chapter 7**  
**[Over Jump City Bay]**

The Dark Dragons were flooding through multiple Tears of Oblivion and the first one that came through that Edward confronted ate a massive lightning blast that tore through it like a hot knife through butter.

Edward's eyes started glowing red, showing his anger was already building. His spine lit up again and he unleashed another blast at another Dark Dragon, knocking it out of the air, but, this one recovered and slammed into Edward, sending both into the sea with a mighty impact. Edward snarled to himself and started throwing punches, but, was hampered by the water resistance.

Next thing Edward saw was a killer whale ramming into the Dark Dragon as it was summoned by Aqualad. The whale bit into the Dark Dragon's neck and dragged it off Edward.

Edward headed for the surface and back into the battle which was well and truly joined by then.

Solor had his hands full fighting off a couple of Dark Dragons, so, Edward teleported to Solor's side and grabbed one of the other Dragons by surprise. He fired a point blank lightning blast into his enemy's neck, killing it instantly.

[Raven! Get my Titans!] he called out.

[Relax,] she said, [Soon as the fighting started, I opened a Tear to your home. They are already here.]

Sure enough, Edward and Solor saw two sources of Starbolts and eye blasts as well as two sources of sonic cannons.

But, that was joined by Superman's heat vision hitting other Dark Dragons, Hawkgirl was stunning others with her mace. Green Lantern was using multiple hard light constructs to hold others. Flash was creating vortexes that caused several Dark Dragons to collide. And Wonder Woman was having fun knocking others out of the air with her strength and the stronger ones were no match for her lasso. J'onn was in heavy combat as well, Dark Dragon vs. Martian dragon. Batman only had non-lethal weapons, though, and sadly, none that would work against a dragon except tear gas and pepper gas.

Both Terras were active as well, using boulders to knock others out of the air. That caused some confusion with the Dark Dragons as they tried to avoid the barrage only to see that the "missile" was guided. Tara (Edward's Terra) had the advantage seeing how she sparred against Edward a lot, so, she could guide a boulder to her target easier. Terra (Solor's Terra) was a fast study and after seeing her counterpart's training in Dragon combat, followed suit.

[How are you holding up?] Rachael asked.

[I'm good,] he said, [Still in control.]

[Look out!] she warned, forcing Edward to teleport before a larger Dark Dragon would have hit him.

"Missed me," he said in the native Dragon tongue and dove at his new opponent, having gained the advantage.

He slammed into the larger dragon and both fell towards the ocean, only this time, Edward teleported away, leaving the other dragon to slam into the sea.

[Both Ravens] he called out, [teleport the ground based superheroes into the City. Get the civilians out of harm's way. Make sure that the media doesn't get in the way for their own safety.]

_Where is Sol?_ Edward wondered, w_e need the reinforcements, badly!_

**[Lair]**

As the First Battle of Titan Tower was underway, Sol emerged from his Tear of Oblivion and called out.

"Dragons of Lair! Darkness has dared to invade the mortal realm. Any solders who wish to come to the aide of Kiinnum are needed now. We must not allow Darkness to extinguish Light. It is time for dragons to join with the mortals to defeat Darkness. Who answers the call to arms?"

There was a resounding amount of roars as the solders of the Lair took to the sky.

Within minutes, solders from all the clans were ready, each lined up in smart military type rows until there was a sizable force ready.

The members of the Circle opened their own Tears and the troops went through, ready to fight.

**[Near Titan Tower]**

The Dark Dragons were actually starting to overwhelm the two Dragons and their human and alien allies when seven more Tears formed, larger than the initial batch.

"I think reinforcements have arrived!" Edward called over to Solor.

"I hope so!" Solor said. Neither he or Edward had activated their Blessings of Light yet as it would drain both Dragons.

Sure enough, a lot of Dragons from Lair were emerging and the ones that could fly immediately took to the skies.

"Great!" Edward said with a smirk.

"Earth Dragons! Protect the city! Golmul!" Edward called.

"Golmul is here, Kiinnum!" Edward heard.

"You're in charge of the Earth Dragons," Edward said as he landed for a moment, "Welcome to the mortal world. I don't have time to go into everything, but, to acknowledge what you told me in Lair, I hereby grant you the field commission of Colonel. It's a promotion, I hope. Regardless, the earth dragons answer to you, and you answer to me. You don't have time to reassure the mortals of your friendly intentions, they will have to see it for themselves."

"I understand," he said, "We will protect the mortal city."

"Try not to knock any buildings down," Edward requested, "The locals might not like it if something is knocked down. If it cannot be helped, that's somewhat acceptable. I gotta run!"

Edward took to the air again as the battle raged in the air.

"Other Dragons! You know your duty! You've trained for this day! Push Darkness back. Light Defeats Darkness!

"Solor!" Edward called, but, as he looked, he saw Solor in a serious fight, and in trouble.

"CRAP! A four on one attack," Edward snarled, scales starting to go through different colors as his anger built.

He flew at the nearest attackers and slammed into them hard. Edward, already angered, bit into one attacker's neck, drawing blood. The other attacker tried to use flame only to see it blocked by Raven's powers.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" she yelled and the second attacking dragon was grabbed by her soul-self and thrown into one of the others attacking Solor, knocking both down for a moment.

The superheroes were all tied up as well battling the Dark Dragons but, the problem was that there were a lot of them. The smaller ones were being handled, it was the larger, older ones that were giving everyone a harder time.

But, with the arrival of the reinforcements, the tide of the battle turned slowly and as more Dark Dragons were knocked out of the battle, it was also apparent that several of the reinforcing dragons had also fallen in the fight, injured with slashed wings or broken bones despite their scales.

[Can someone teleport the injured dragons to safety?] Edward called out.

[No can do, Edward,] Raven replied, [We've got our hands full and it's obvious that the Dark Dragons are making a play for the Tower.]

[I noticed that,] Edward said as he charged at yet another Dark Dragon trying to make it's way to the Tower.

That Dragon ran into a super chilled air mass and its wings were covered in ice. He roared as he fell towards the island and was knocked senseless on impact.

Others were slipping through the defense and were met by either Edward or Solor, both had fallen back to a defensive position.

"How are you holding up, Solor?" Edward said.

"So far, so good," Solor replied, "Head's up!"

Edward saw another Dark Dragon heading their way and blasted it with his lightning breath, not bothering to light up his ridges any longer.

The Earth Dragons had also seen that the Tower seemed to be the focus on the Dark Dragons and Golmul had several troops make their way to the Tower.

[J'onn! It's Edward,] he called out telepathically, [Have the League cover the flightless Earth Dragons as they move towards Titan Tower, please. The Dark Dragons are trying to take it down!]

The Justice League members and others moved to provide covering fire for the Earth Dragons, some of which were large enough to wade to the Tower.

One Dark Dragon made the mistake of making eye contact with Jericho (From Edward's universe) and was possessed. The Dragon roared as he realized that he no longer had control over his body and used its flame breath on another Dark, taking it by surprise. The surprise didn't last long as the two started to fight. Jericho wisely jumped to another Dark and started another intrateam brawl.

Solor saw that and was surprised, "So that's what that kid can do. Nice!"

Edward said, "Jericho has the experience as I would let him practice with me at times. The native Jericho will need trained."

By then, several Earth dragons were defending the Tower.

Edward had a thought and after blasting another one out of the air, looked for one of the geomancers, he didn't care which one, but was hoping for his universe's Terra.

He found one and teleported to her side.

"I need you and your counterpart to create an earth shield around the Tower itself," he said.

"That may drain both of us," Tara said, "It's not like creating a canyon or burying a dragon."

"Just be careful, then," Edward said, "But, these dragons are trying to take out the Tower. Give the flightless dragons the support that they need. Use whatever materials are needed to defend the Tower."

Tara nodded, "We'll try."

"That's all I ask, Tara," Edward replied with a quick and gentle brush with his snout.

Also, there was another problem: The US Military was possibly coming. They had scrambled several squadrons of jet fighters and they were inbound to the fray.

Superman flew to Edward's side and said, "We have a problem...The Air Force has scrambled fighters."

"Superman," Edward said quietly, knowing that he'd be heard, "You have to keep those fighters out of harms way or tell them that the black dragons are the ones to fire on."

Superman understood the problem and withdrew from the fight to get to those bases.

[Raven,] Edward called out, [Get the military guys on the phone and tell them that they risk being slaughtered in this dust-up if they try to intervene, those Dark Dragons won't hesitate to massacre the lot of them, especially the larger ones.]

[On it,] she said and went to try to contact the military that way.

The Dark Dragons were relentless, though, but, Edward's determination was just as relentless and he had a lot of disciplined troops now at his disposal who were fighting the Dark Dragons as well. Those who got too close to the Tower were knocked out of the sky by Earth Dragons and roundly stomped or knocked down by large boulders from the geomancers. Edward lifted several of the lighter Earth Dragons to the roof of the Tower so there was plenty of protection there.

He flew off to intercept more Dark Dragons when he saw more Tears forming and the Dark Dragons started to withdraw for some reason.

"What in oblivion?" Solor asked, "Why are they retreating?"

By then, Edward had caught up to Solor again and replied, "No idea, but, we cannot let them all escape. I want to interrogate one of them. One of the larger ones, they might know more. I'll be back in a moment."

He located Golmul and teleported to his side, "Good work thus far. Find and detain one of the Dark Dragons that looks to be close to you in age, but, unable to overpower you. Don't be afraid to knock it out to prevent escape, but, I want the Traitor alive and able to answer questions."

"Yes, Kiinnum," he said, "It shall be done."

"Thanks," Edward said, "I'll see what I can do as well to help. Regardless, in case you want to take a bit of retribution, I'll look the other way"

"I do not understand the phrase," Golmul said.

"I don't care if he arrives with two black eyes, a broken snout or a broken wing," Edward said, "I will want answers and if your 'volunteer' is convinced to talk to me before he's brought to Lair to face justice may spell the difference between a fast death or a slow and torture filled death. He doesn't need to know that last part, though. And I will not ask questions about which one of you do the softening up. In fact, tell them what you told me about your strength compared to mine. Use that respect/admiration in our favor. If whoever is 'volunteered' realizes that there is someone more powerful, it might get the dragon to talk."

Golmul nodded, "I see, sir." Edward smiled, "You have your orders, friend. I'll catch up to you in a bit."

Edward flew back into the fray, such as it was, and looked for a target. He picked one of the remaining larger dragons and teleported above it and morphed to a giant snake. He fell on the Dark Dragon and wrapped himself around the dragon and put the squeeze on, constricting like titanium bands as they fell.

The dragon tried to open a Tear, only to discover Edward clamping his jaws on his mouth and preventing the spell from firing off.

They struggled but, Edward was just too powerful for the Dark Dragon as they slammed into the beach.

The Dark Dragon tried every trick he could to get Edward to uncoil without luck and as Edward continued to tighten his coils, the Dark Dragon finally couldn't get enough air and passed out. That got Edward to uncoil.

The native Terra came over and said, "Allow me." Edward went back to his native form and said, "By all means, my dear."

The Dark Dragon would wake up to discover that it was locked tight in a rock prison similar to how she encased Slade. The dragon was not going anywhere anytime soon as Terra (either of them) would know how to release the rocks.

"Good job," Edward said as the other Dark Dragons left, some taking their injured colleagues with them. One dragon saw the one Edward had captured and tried to mount a rescue, to feel several breath weapons hitting him as the Earth Dragons opened fire as well as several boulders. Golmul has seen the capture and instructed several solders to take custody of the prisoner.

They arrived and Edward said, "Take him to Lair and post round the clock guards. I'll clear it with Grand Light. The prisoner tries to escape, he's to be knocked out."

By then, the fighting was pretty much over and Edward was puzzled as to why…

**[Lair of Darkness]**

Grand Darkness saw the amount of injured dragons returning and, needless to say, he was unhappy. And that was an understatement. They had failed in their mission and he wanted to know why.

He grabbed the first solder he could and snarled, "What in Oblivion happened? You were supposed to destroy that Tower!"

"We couldn't get near it, sire!" the dragon objected, "It was too well protected."

"Explain," Grand Darkness roared.

"There were three dragons already there, and one of them went through a Tear. The other two fought back hard. One had lightning breath that knocked many brothers out of the air severely wounded. The other had a light beam. The mortal superheroes also put up a strong resistance. The one called Superman has heat vision, others were taken down by some guy wearing green and used hard light to defend. Another flying female has this mace that emits a strange energy. They have at least one spell caster as well. Two defenders are half metal and have a hard sound weapon. Two were shapeshifters, and, two can move the earth with their minds alone."

"The Dragon with the lightning breath," Darkness asked, "He didn't happen to seem … different … than the others did he?"

The younger Dragon nodded, "Yes, sir. His scales seemed to color shift at times, and, appeared to be one of the strongest in the playing field. He morphed several times and his lightning was powerful. Every time he used it, power would arc between his ridges. He looked like he was in discomfort, as though …"

"He was in some pain?" Vilea inquired.

"Exactly, daughter," Darkness said, "The hybrid is indeed here. He cannot fire at full power without the backlash. His immortality was protecting him.

"What happened later?"

The dragon replied, "Lair sent reinforcements, my lord Darkness! They came to the aid of the human filth!"

"FIRST-DAMMIT!" Darkness roared in rage, "They know! This confirms my fears. They have already declared war on us and Trigon!"

He took a deep breath and said to the one dragon who had, of course, averted his eyes the entire time, a fact which spared his life, "Get your wounds tended to. I am grateful for your report."

The dragon backed away carefully, not wanting to show his spine to Grand Darkness and thus insult him.

"We have scored one victory, though," Vilea said, "The human scum know about dragons now. Lair is exposed and the Light mosquito and his allies will be on the defensive and distracted by fending off the panicking mortals."

"The son of Grand Light is not a mosquito, daughter," Darkness reprimanded her, "You failed to break him after all. It's plain to me that you are responsible for this fiasco. You told him of our plans, figuring that he'd go insane. Somehow, his mind was repaired.

"Consider yourself lucky I do not have you executed, Vilea. If we didn't need Starborn's whelps, I would have you killed for this lapse of judgment. Fail me again, and I will kill you with my bare hands! _**GET OUT OF MY FACE AND DO NOT RETURN UNTIL I SEND FOR YOU!**_"

Vilea, for the first time in her life, was in truly in fear of her father. The grand plan was in jeopardy, all because she just had to have Starborn as her personal toy.

Needless to say, she realized it might be a good time to find a nesting spot and lay low until the eggs hatched.

After she left, Grand Darkness took stock of the defeated Dragons and realized some of them were gone, likely killed in the battle, but, one of the missing was an older dragon and supposedly one of the strongest ones as a result. As the Dragons were being treated for injuries ranging from broken bones to burns from either lightning or Superman's heat vision to some dragons that looked frostbitten, those got Grand Darkness' attention.

"What happened?" he asked one of the frostbitten dragons, who averted his gaze.

"One of the defenders hit me with ice breath, Milord," the dragon said, "His spine ridges glowed blue before I was hit. I was lucky to have survived that."

"I see," Grand Darkness said. He had another piece of the puzzle that Edward presented to his faction and regretted not being able to take him as a hatchling.

Another presented with severe burns and Grand Darkness discovered that Edward's spines lit up red when a flame attack was about to be used.

"So, the hybrid has become as powerful as I expected," Grand Darkness muttered, "What else does this damned dragon do?"

He questioned others who said they were knocked down by surprise. One moment, the path was clear, the next, they had a dragon attacking them. Or that they'd try to attack Edward only to discover the target disappeared and they would be on the defensive.

_Teleportation?_ Grand Darkness thought, _Wonderful. Means if he sees an attack coming, he can avoid it completely._

"Did anyone see if this hybrid was injured?" he asked.

"He did not seem injured at all," one injured dragon said.

"OK," Grand Darkness asked, "Did anyone see him actually hurting from anything?"

"The enemy seemed to wince using several attacks," was a reply, "But, after that, I couldn't tell. He seemed to recover quickly, though."

_Well, that does seem to confirm his immortality. That's going to make him tougher to beat, and his strength...might get some of my children to defect. The backlash does, indeed, limit his attacks. If Lair gats hold of him and trains him, that limitation might become a moot point and there's no telling what will happen then._

Grand Darkness left the wounded to their caretakers to think. His troops had taken a defeat, but, he knew that one defeat in battle did not spell the end of the war.

**[Titan Tower roof]**

With the Battle of Titan Tower over, Edward dismissed most of the reinforcements before the military arrived. The less dragons, the better. But, he asked that Sol and several representatives of the clans stay to help calm the population. Every news outlet had covered the battle before the FAA imposed a no-fly zone around the city. As Titan Tower was the focal point of the battle, there wasn't much damage to the City itself, unless you counted a lot of cars damaged as people tried to flee.

"Ok," he said to the gathering of dragons and superheroes, "The cat is out of the bag now. Within an hour, if we're lucky, there will be a lot of angry people heading our way from elected officials, law enforcement, military, and media. We are not going to spin this. Solor, his father and I will call a press conference, and I would ask Superman to collect Clark Kent from the Daily Planet, please. I'm certain that Mr. Kent would want to cover this story. He can bring his partner, Lois Lane as well."

Superman realized that Edward already knew his secret identity, but, said nothing about that, just replied, "I'll get them. Give me an hour, please. I can't fly that fast with Ms. Lane." (J'onn had recalled Superman when it was clear the Dark Dragons were in a retreat.)

Raven said, "I can teleport there faster."

Edward nodded and said, "Sounds like a plan.

"Robin, please contact the media. Tell them 'Press Conference, one hour, Titan Tower lobby.' Inform the TV and Radio stations that for the ease of coverage, we'll use a pool camera setup. Do not allow the Military to strong arm you into cancelling the press conference, even if they cite national security. And, believe me, they will try that trick."

Robin nodded and headed down to the Ops Center.

A few minutes later he came back and said, "I got the message out. But, things do not look all that good. Even with the fighting over for now, the population of Jump City is in a full panic mode."

"Damn Darkness," Solor snarled, "Had to blow the cover off."

"Somehow, they knew that there was a gathering here and figured that things had been discovered," Sol said, "That's the only explanation."

"Agreed," Edward said after a moment, "And, they will try again. We gotta be ready. We got lucky this time.

"Sol, would you please make sure my prisoner of war is taken to Lair? He's got some questions to answer."

Sol nodded, "I do not like having a Dark Dragon in Lair, but, I suspect you want some peace and quiet for that."

"The time for peace is gone," Edward said, "This attempt to destroy Titan Tower is the proof of that. Somehow, they knew and I suspect that they also have agents here. I'm going to end up having a second AI developed and installed, just to give the Titans a head's up."

Edward made his way to Ops after leaving orders to the remaining larger Dragons to stand guard to prevent another sneak attack, but, letting mortals through. Impromptu "Operation Friendly Dragon" was in effect, and the Dragons were told to make nice with the humans and to keep their opinions to themselves.

The others, of course, followed Edward down to Ops.

The combined force of super-heroes and disguised dragons had a few precious minutes to try to relax after the battle, but, it was just one front. The population could not be told that things were not what they saw and Edward knew that the local history had swerved in a huge way. There was no going back.

"We have two fronts," Edward said, "The one with Trigon and his allies, then, the one that will be showing up at the door pretty soon. We have to calm the people quickly.

"One dragon is bad enough, but, the sky was full of them. So, we tell them the truth. That's all we can do."

He gave it some thought and said, "That includes the threat from Trigon. The longer the population has to prepare and evacuate the area, the better."

In fact, they didn't get that much time at all as the media started to arrive and they were let in, nervous looks all around.

Robin tried to make them more comfortable as they set up their equipment.

**[About 75 minutes later]**

The media had gathered along with some military folks who insisted on being there for some odd reason and a live signal was being sent out worldwide on every channel.

Robin stepped up to the podium and said,

"Thank you for coming on such short notice. Today has seen its share of excitement in that creatures long thought to be myth, legend and even folklore have been proven to be real. We have learned that we share our planet with dragons in an epic battle that signals the start of a long power struggle coming out of hiding. I would like to introduce Edward Barnes, an ally in this power struggle."

Edward stepped up and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, as Robin stated, my name is Edward Barnes and I have a confession to tell you. I am a dragon in human form and the reason I am here is because we are at war. Not with humanity as me and my compatriots fought a battle here against Dragons who are bent on taking over this world. Those were the black Dragons you saw engaging in a heated fight. There is a reason for this and while I do not wish to further panic the People of the world by exposing our existence, that damage has already been done.

"Within the next two months, an interdimensional being known as Trigon the Terrible will be summoned to this planet and he will use Earth as his command center to take over the known universe. Without the assistance of the dragons who oppose Darkness, humankind will go from a bustling population of billions to under 10 in the blink of an eye.

"I know that this is difficult to believe, and that you will wonder if I have lost my mind. I am afraid to disappoint you, but, even after fighting for hours against this initial invasion, I assure you that I am of sound mind.

"My main concern right now is calming the public after the events of today. I assure you that these dragons are as intelligent as some of the smartest people alive today."

He stopped for a moment and that allowed for reporters to start asking questions, but, Edward held up his hands.

"I know you all have questions, however, a pause for breath isn't really an invite to bombard me or others with questions.

"I know that some folks will try to run a background check on me. Don't bother. You will not find anything. The reason for this is because I am from an alternate universe as well. My universe already went through Trigon and he was defeated. I am here because one of my friends on the Teen Titans was recently thrown into my universe by those tears in the fabric in reality that many of the citizens of this city saw. He was retrieved from my universe several weeks ago. In fact, I'm sure that there was speculation why there were only 5 Teen Titans instead of 7. That is why.

"However, one of the Titans, Solor, was captured recently by these forces of Darkness and subjected to horrors that no one should be forced to endure before escaping to warn us. But, to help in his recovery, his father was able to contact me and my wife and asked for our help. We came here and helped Solor recover to the point he was certainly able to fight.

"We know who did this to Solor and I'm going to put this out there. Vilea, you are very high on my personal target list for what you did to my brother-in-arms. I will make it a point to find you and prevent your eggs from hatching. You shall be brought to justice for your crimes.

"Now, you may ask your questions, if you would like."

Edward pointed to Lois and said, "Yes?"

Lois stood up and said, "Lois Lane, Daily Planet. This is a bombshell announcement that you've made here. Is this why there's so many superheroes here and why they were involved in that battle seen worldwide?"

"We were made aware of the threat a couple days ago, Ms. Lane," Edward said, "and knew that the Teen Titans would be needing the help. So, at my urging, the Teen Titans got hold of the Justice League, Doom Patrol and stand alone superheroes. Sadly, it appears that the forces of Darkness got word of the meeting and moved their invasion plans up."

"When can we expect Trigon?" she asked.

"While I know that it is usually prudent to evade the question to avoid a general panic with the population, this time, as there is no place for anyone to hide," Edward said, "As I previously stated: Two months at the most. Once this Vilea lays her eggs it may be a month or two before Trigon is summoned."

Another report got Edward's attention and after introducing himself asked, "How long have Dragons been around?"

Edward said, "I'm going to let Solor handle this one."

Solor stood up and said, "Dragons have been here since before the dinosaurs walked the Earth. When the First … you call him God … created the world, there was chaos. The First settled the elements and in turn, the first dragons were created to maintain this balance."

"So, there's different species of dragons?" the reporter asked.

"That's correct," Solor said, "There are seven clans: Light, Dark, Life, Death, Earth, Fire and Water. The ones that are standing guard are Earth Dragons, the only ones that are flightless."

"Which one are you?" The reporter asked before sitting down.

"I am a Light Dragon," Solor said.

Edward stepped up to the mic and said, "Before anyone asks, I am a hybrid of all those clans and the only one in existence. This is something I discovered only recently."

A reporter from FOXnews asked, "If you don't mind a more personal question?"

Edward nodded, "I'm mostly an open book. Ask away."

"How old are you and how does that compare to others of your species?"

"Well, I am roughly 3,000 years old," Edward said, "However, some of the oldest dragons are far, far older. The oldest dragons, we realized recently is in the millions. Other dragons are relatively speaking, short lived, only living to 2,000 years old.

"Due to my unique nature, I am immortal."

The reporters were understandably curious on that claim: "You cannot die?"

"Sorry," Edward said, "If I were to reveal a way to actually kill me, those Dark Dragons would not hesitate to try to use that."

"Moving along," the reporter from FOX news said, "How do we know you are on our side? Granted that we all saw that battle, who is to say that there won't be a time when Dragons are willing to eradicate humanity?"

Edward raised an eyebrow, "Because it's in dragons best interest to ally at this point in time for the mutual survival of all.

"Sol, would you be so kind as to give some information or details on how Dragons govern themselves?"

Sol stepped to the podium and said, "I am Sol, the Light of the Circle. I am one of the seven Clans Solor spoke of in the Circle. We are the ones who are responsible for keeping the elements balanced and to, when necessary, fight to preserve the balance. This means that, due to the threat Edward told us about, that we have declared war, not on humans, but upon Trigon and the forces of Darkness. We have, until today, remained hidden from humans and it was with a fair amount of debate within the Circle to come out of hiding and take an active role. It was Edward who painted the picture that convinced us to undertake this action to protect all. I am here to ask that everyone not panic when they see one of us in the skies, for only the Darkness seeks to destroy. The other clans will seek to defeat Darkness once and for all. And that means we will protect mortals."

"What kind of assurance can you give us, though?" the reporter asked.

Sol replied, "Just as you saw us defending the Tower here, you will see how we fight against Darkness. Those Dark Dragons are the ones we seek to stop along with Trigon. We will consider humans who are civilians to be neutral and will do our utmost to avoid harm."

"How about the military?" Another reporter asked.

Edward stepped up to the podium again and replied, "We will seek to work with the Armed Forces as much as possible. Assuming that Trigon doesn't petrify the masses, we can use the military support."

"Petrify?" the military rep asked.

"Yes, sir," Edward replied, noting the rep was wearing a single star, "When Trigon invaded my Earth, he petrified the entire planet, except for the Teen Titans and Slade Wilson. He will likely do that here."

"And, what did you do?" the guy challenged.

"Well," Edward said, "As this was before I joined the team, I, too, was stone. Luckily, I do not remember any of that happening."

"What's to prevent that from happening here?" someone asked.

"Sorry," Edward replied, "I'm not prepared to divulge that information. Best I can say is that we will try to prevent it."

The press conference went on for another 30 minutes before Edward finally said, "The team needs to rest after the events of the day. I am hopeful that people will come to trust having dragons around, though. Stay safe, and, please rest assured that this is the same world that you've always known and we will do our utmost to keep it that way. Thank you for coming again."

The media camera went off a moment later as the team went back upstairs. Sol and Edward had other plans, though. They needed to go back to Lair, see who was injured and encourage them. Others would be laid to rest and memorialized.

The first POW would be interrogated by Edward and whoever else he would allow. Then, Edward would call together the troops in a huge meeting and compliment them on a job well done. Solor would also be going back to Lair and Edward had a few plans for Solor alongside being one of Edwards closest advisors, he would serve as a go-between with the dragons and the mortals when Edward wasn't available.

"Solor," Edward asked, "Are you ready for one more duty today?"

"Going back to Lair?" he asked.

"Yes," Edward said gently, "I know it's a big step to go home after being banished for this last year or two, but, we need the intel that you can remember. And if the Circle sees that you are willing to set aside any anger towards them, it will help. They are willing to actually do something, instead of sitting back and doing nothing."

Solor nodded, "I am ready to face them again. I realized something, Edward. I've been expecting everyone to hate me...loathe me with every fiber of their being. Yet..."

"We don't," Edward finished the thought, "Hatchling, give the humans credit. They know better. You are a blameless victim, and I hate to say it, a pawn in Vilea's sick, twisted game. I know you felt like crap, but, I didn't need a telepath to tell me that you have come to realize that you have forgiven yourself, finally. You are becoming worthy of being Sol's heir once more. I am proud to call you my son by right. You have earned that right, even in the very short time I have known you. I have seen you and Sol start to work on your issues. He has not denounced you as a traitor since this started."

"Thank you," Solor said and stifled another sob. Edward pulled Solor into a hug and said, "You did well today, Starborn, Heir to the Light. You handled the superheroes well. You saw the invasion coming and alerted everyone. You handled the media. There's a lot of work that needs to be done, though. But, I promise that you will get time with your sweetheart soon. I hate seeing her so sad that her powers are disrupted. And that is not your fault, either! Everything that happens is on Vilea. You've realized that now. Our duty comes first. Kreinyol knows that as a warrior."

Edward chuckled and continued, "I'm not even a tad upset that my speech was tossed. It spoke volumes in that you felt it necessary to disregard it. I think you did a masterful job without it. It said that your famous pride is returning. I am certainly glad for that!"

"Will I be worthy to keep Kreinyol?" Solor asked.

"She's still very much like her counterpart, Solor," Edward said, "Yes, you are worthy of her love. Solor, stop worrying so much about her. You asked her to take care of your heart as much as you'd take care of her. Let her do her part of the relationship."

"Her powers were disrupted, though," Solor objected.

Edward grinned and said, "I was able to do some quick comparisons with Kori's power output and flight. There wasn't much difference. The younger dragons didn't know how to cope.

"I think that speech you gave the assembled superheroes told her that you've turned the most important corner already. I believe that she was worried that you'd end things with her. Something that I know you're not even thinking of doing, so, I'm not worried, and neither should she. You'll get your time to be with her. But, show her on a more intimate level as well...a level where you both are comfortable. Just remember that the person you will be with is the real Kreinyol, not that Traitor.

"She was so frantic at one point, she would have torn through your memories to find you. Rachael and I had to hold her back lest she destroy your memories and feelings in the process. That's how deeply she loves you. By the way, I know you will not remember this, but, thanks for NOT letting us see that intimate memory. It would have torn her apart.

"Bottom line: she meant it when she forgave you, and I am glad to see that you are taking those first steps for you. Your anger is directed at the Darkness. Keep it there.

"I'm appointing you to lead the Light Dragons. You may pick whoever you feel necessary to help you. Use whatever criteria is traditional for us, as I am not familiar with that."

"At least Malchior will not be an issue," Solor said smirking.

"Oh?" Edward said.

"He tried to trick Raven," Solor said, "Like in your universe, but, Malchior is also well known to us and I helped her see through his tricks. She bound him inside his book permanently."

"Good," Edward said, "He was not an easy fight and it took Raven a long, long time to recover from the destruction within Nevermore. She hid in her room for almost a month in meditation. It was not fun for me, but, she knew that she could lean on me. Like you instinctively needed to before you escaped. So, she knows how hard it is to recover. After our trip to Lair, talk to Rachael and meditate with her, Raven and both Starfires. I will be tied up at Lair for a while, though.

"Starborn, while I do not have to say these next words, I feel that I should because they are from the heart: I am sorry that you went through all that. I am sorry for your pain and I wish I could take that pain away from you. I am grateful that you are moving on, though."

Solor looked surprised before replying, "You are no more to blame than I am, Edward. But, I do appreciate the words and sentiment behind them."

Sol once again stayed silent as the two dragons bonded some more and he realized that his self-righteous attitude had driven a wedge between father and son more than his duties for the Circle ever did, and for the first time in a long time, felt shamed at how his son and a dragon that he helped to protect with a Tear of Oblivion were already closer than he was to Solor. But, father and son had already made the most important steps of apology and forgiveness.

To Edward, that was the most important step.

"Let's go," Edward suggested, "I'd like to get the interrogation started as soon as possible and other things."

"We have to report to the Circle regardless," Sol said, "The other members will be wanting answers as well. We weren't expecting to have to fight this soon."

"That's because Darkness also has their own scouts and spies, I think," Edward said his voice growing frigid, "Regardless, they will be taken care of as well."

Sol and Solor noted the change in Edward's voice and suppressed a shudder having seen how powerful Edward was in the battle. It was one of the rare times Edward could actually let loose and Solor said to his father, "I knew he was holding back fighting the mortal villains here, but, I see why the solders are willing to follow him now."

Sol replied, "Yet, the Circle doesn't even believe that Edward's at his full capacity. Once we treat him and remove the backlash from his breath weapons, he'll be the most potent weapon for us."

Solor nodded.

Edward watched as he was being discussed and normally he'd complain that he was still in the room, but, let it slide. If it helped the two to put any differences behind them, he was OK with it.

"I'll meet you in Lair," Edward said.

"How?" Solor said.

"Teleport," Edward said, "Now that I've seen it, I can teleport there as needed, remember?"

"Oh," Solor said, chastened.

Edward went to the roof and saw Rachael there.

"Hi, babe," Edward said with a smile.

"Hi," she said sadly. Edward picked up on her emotions and pulled her into a hug.

She stifled a sob, but, Edward said, "Hey, we both knew this was coming, my dearest Raven. I have to do this if I am to lead the Dragons and if I want to be rid of the backlash."

"It's not just that," she said, "I had a vison of you almost being killed in battle the other night. I didn't want to tell you, though."

"It will take a lot to kill me, sweetheart," Edward replied, "And, I won't be alone in these fights. You saw how the other non Dark Dragons fought besides me without even being asked. They follow out of respect and I will treat them the same way.

"I'll be fine and the link will stay active as long as possible, so, I will be available. Also, I will keep my communicator with me so that the team can keep in contact."

"And Solor?" she asked.

"I have plans for him where he'll be coordinating with the two teams of Titans and the others, meaning you for the most part. The thing is that I fully expect more attacks on the Tower and/or other places. That means Victor and Cyborg will need a team of techs to upgrade the Tower's defenses, even if that means installing the AI from home or establishing an uplink between the two universes. Please have Robin keep a link open to the Watchtower."

"Will the Tower stay defended?" she asked.

"This one?" Edward asked.

"Yeah," she replied.

"You bet it will stay protected," Edward said, "I will have a contingent of dragons stationed here round the clock. Only ones who get through are Titans, Justice League, and Doom Patrol. Others will be granted access on an as needed basis. I'll include the future Titans as well. Some will be flight capable dragons, some will be the Earth Dragons you see here. There will be shifts set up. We won't be caught by surprise again. Hold on a moment, dear, gotta talk to my new allies."

Rachael smiled, "All right."

"Hey, Golmul!" Edward called down in the native language.

"Yes, Kiinnum?" he said and averted his gaze.

"I'm going to send reinforcements to relieve you guys in a while," Edward said, "I hate to ask, but, how long can you guys stay awake? I want to make sure that you all are getting plenty of rest and a chance to get nourishment as well. You guys got called up without any chance to stock up on rations."

"We are good for food, sir," Golmul replied, "and we can stay here until tomorrow."

"You're OK with standing guard until tomorrow?" Edward asked and gave it some thought, "I'll relieve you before tomorrow, though. I am going to get some of the other clans to stand watch. I want you to make the other clans feel welcomed. Once I learn how to cast the Tear of Oblivion, it will be somewhat easier to change the guard. In my absence, you take your orders from Starborn, Ruuvak, Nightwing or Robin. There's two Ravens, though. The one next to me is my mate, the other one is in the Tower. My mate has priority over the native Raven, per Grand Light. In fact, I will have you relieved as your services may be needed with our Prisoner of War."

"I understand, sir," he said, "Thank you for bringing me to the mortal world."

"This is just a very small bit of the world," Edward said, "I'm sure that you shall see more of it, though. Hopefully, it will be in peacetime and when Dragons are accepted."

Edward switched back to English and said, "I'll be back in a few days and will keep you updated through the link as well. But, sweetheart, I may have to go to a dark place to get information out of the POW. I will need you to be my anchor, my love. You and your counterpart possibly."

By then, Solor came up and said, "Come on, old timer. Sol has already left."

Edward morphed to mini-dragon and said, "Hop on, Solor."

Solor shrugged and got on.

Rachael gave Edward a kiss on the nose and floated up to Solor and hugged him saying, "Good luck, Starborn."

"Thank you, Raven," he replied, returning the hug.

Edward took to the air and teleported to Lair...

XxXxX

**[As Edward Was On the Roof]**

As Edward headed upstairs, Solor looked to his father, who in turn looked at him. The two stared a bit, uncomfortable, before Solor turned away. "I... better find Kreinyol. I need to say goodbye to her."

Sol nodded, smiling. "You treat her well, my son." When Solor looked back, surprised by the response, Sol only smirked. "I know you love her. And I know she loves you as well. It is a love very rarely seen, and as much as it goes against what we teach, I cannot be any happier." He turned away. "I shall meet you and Edward in Lair. Go ahead and find your love."

Solor nodded, and immediately headed to the one place he knew she would be: her bedroom. Once he was at the door, he knocked gently, shifting to his human form.

The door opened, and Starfire opened the door. "Boyfriend Solor", she said, surprised. "What-" Her words were interrupted by a sudden kiss, as Solor caught her lips almost immediately. She squeaked in surprise, but she soon closed her eyes and kissed back, wrapping her arms around his neck. After a moment, they broke apart. "W-What was that for?" she asked, blushing lightly.

"I am heading for Lair", Solor said. "I will not return for a while. I wanted to make sure you knew I love you, even when I am gone." His forehead rested against hers. "I will fix this, my love. And I will return to you as I was before that witch got her claws on me."

"I never had any doubts", she replied, smiling. She kissed him on the lips again, this time in a chaste peck. "Go. I eagerly await your return."

Solor smiled one last time, before he reluctantly let her go, heading towards the roof to fetch Edward.

It was time the prodigal son returned home.


	8. Interrogations and Preparations

**[Chapter 8]**  
**[Lair]**

Edward and Solor emerged from the teleport, to the surprise of the other dragons in Lair, then, they cheered the returning duo as they headed for the center of Lair and the remains of the volcano Grand Earth crumbled, several days ago.

"I don't know what to feel," Solor said, "I didn't expect to be allowed to return so soon."

"Try letting yourself feel welcomed, man," Edward replied, "The only one that you need to worry about is Grand Death and you can tell him to his face how you regret what happened and all that. Then again, I delivered your message the other day. I got your back, regardless. He's going to have to deal with you being back."

They flew in relative silence (meaning that the cheering/roaring was still going on) until they landed near where Edward saw Sol and the other members of the Circle were.

"Welcome Home, Starborn," Grand Earth said, "It's time that we welcome you home."

Solor averted his gaze and said, "Avert your gaze, Edward!"

Earth chuckled, "Kiinnum is allowed to look at us, Starborn. We've waived that tradition for him. After his little display when we declared war and given his age, well, we do not have a problem with this."

Grand Death grumbled, though, getting a glare from Grand Life and Edward.

"Seriously," Life said, "We're in the beginning of a war and you still have a grudge against Starborn."

"If he would not have attacked me," Death said, "We wouldn't be here."

"With respect, Grand Death: You'd have no idea what is coming," Edward retorted, "You'd be a petrified hunk of stone, your soul feeding Trigon. What Starborn did to you would pale in comparison. So, I would like to think that Starborn might have saved all of you by being temporarily exiled. Grand Death, we're on the same side here and I would think that you're big enough to have accepted his apologies. Starborn attacked me with his Blessing of Light because I did the same thing he accused you of: Attacking his family's heritage. And when I was recovering from the third degree burns and he was recovering his strength, I had the time to reflect and, guess what? I realized that I was out of line, and that was before I knew Moonlight had died. I didn't find out until later that day. Yet, I was big enough to say 'I'm sorry.' Starborn accepted it. The first time I talked to Grand Light, I apologized for insulting him and his mate. It was accepted as well. When a creature like us measures time in centuries, or even longer, where is the logic in holding a grudge? Starborn is here, willing to face the esteemed members of the Circle. And, by the First, you will hear him out, Grand Death. We have the honored dead to bury, injured dragons to encourage and planning to accomplish. And, we do not have the time to waste on this bickering over Starborn's humiliating defeat at your hands. That would be like me going over to Grand Earth and trying to slap him. It would literally be the sting of a gnat, even with my power. He'd laugh at me and beat the living crap out of me. This war makes your little scuffle irrelevant."

"Still, he is a breed traitor," Grand Death objected.

Edward snarled, "I will respect your opinion in a lot of things...but, when you call Starborn a breed traitor, you also call _me_ that as well, and that I will _not_ respect. On my world, I killed without regret slave traders when I was Starborn's age several times. When the Titanic was sinking, they tried to enforce keeping gates locked and the cold blooded murder of steerage passengers. I mangled the gates and when some hapless steward bitched about the destruction of White Star Line property, he discovered how it's unwise to annoy a dragon trying to save lives when I told him to get out of my face and zapped him with the lightning.

"Just because Starborn is in love with Kreinyol doesn't change my opinion of him...In fact, I encouraged them to start seeing each other and my mate was not happy with this breed purity stuff. Fine, I get that on a genetic level, it's not possible in 99.99% of the time to get a hybrid. First me, now, Starborn's impending brood. It doesn't make someone a Breed Traitor to follow one's heart. She will, sadly, not live as long as even the youngest whelpling being trained as we speak. There is a mate for him in Lair someday...and to us, what is another 50-60 years, assuming that she is not killed in battle or she returns to Tamaran to rule and Starborn is not able to go with her for whatever reason? That time frame to our species is more like days. So, respectfully, Grand Death: Deal with it. Starborn will be in command of the Light Dragons, others will be in charge of their clans in the war, so, we all either get along, setting racial crap aside or Trigon has already won. Because, I will have no problem inviting Starborn to live in my universe."

That last sentence told the Circle something: Press the Breed Traitor issue and Edward might walk, leaving the Dragons to fend for themselves.

Grand Life said, "Kiinuum's right. We have to let Starborn's breaking of old traditions and teachings go for the survival of everyone. Life demands nothing less."

"Let us bury those who have fallen," Grand Earth said, "and commend them to the First, who they served unto death."

Solor, meanwhile, looked down further, and Sol immediately picked up. "Starborn, you may return to Moonlight's grave. You have gone too long without grieving; it is time you are given the opportunity."

Solor nodded, glad that his father understood, and said to Edward, "I'll catch up with you later. I... need to be alone."

"I understand, man", Edward replied, putting his talons on his friend's shoulder for a moment. "I'll be with the Circle if you need to find me." Edward was likewise saddened, for Solor's sake. _May the First heal you, my friend_.

As soon as Solor could, he took off toward the sky, while the other dragons got to work, burying the dead. He made his way through the clouds, until he found the outcropping where his family laid to rest. All of his brothers and sisters, with the largest pile of rocks at the lead. There, he landed. All of the memories came rushing back.

And he began to sing.

Pouring his heart out, he let his song echo through the mountains, his words, though draconic, seeming to reverberate in every tongue. He sang for what felt to be an eternity. He sang his sorrow, his joy, his anger, and every emotion in between that he felt. Finally, after what seemed to be hours, he let his voice fade, as the tears fell from his eyes.

"Mother", he said in his native tongue, "I miss you. There isn't a day I don't think about you and my brothers and sisters. May the First keep your soul safe, and may he find me worthy until the day I join you."

He was about to turn to leave, when a voice echoed on the wind. "But you are worthy, my son."

Immediately, he turned, and could hardly believe his eyes. There stood the spirit of a great dragoness, in her prime, standing tall above him.

"M-Mother?" he whispered, wanting to ask so many questions.

"I do not have much time, my son", said the spirit. "You must listen to me. Know that you are loved, whatever path you may choose. And whatever decisions you make, do not ever regret them."

"How can I not regret them?" asked the younger dragon. "How can I do anything but regret what I have done with Vilea, or what I did to Grand Death?" He looked down. "I've made terrible choices."

"And yet, you learn from them." Moonlight gave a smile. "Do not regret. Even in the darkest night shines the brightest star. Remember your name, my son, and know you are loved and forgiven by the First." The spirit began to fade, and before Solor could say any more, the spirit was gone.

The young dragon shook his head. Was it a vision? A dream? Did he really talk to his dead mother, or was he going insane from the stress?

"Born under the light of the brightest star", he muttered to himself, and he began to grin. "Even in the darkest night it shines on... I must shine like that star as well." He looked toward where he left the Circle behind. He knew what he had to do.

Without another word, he flew towards the Circle.

XxXxX

"You want to what?" asked Sol, positively surprised for the umpteenth time by his son.

It was now much later in the day. After Solor returned (not mentioning his vision to his father or Edward), he helped bury the rest of the dead, helping to give their final rites before allowing the members of their families to sing and mourn. Now, the Circle was in meeting, and Edward was about to go to the POW when Solor stepped forward.

"I would like to be the one to interrogate him", he said.

"Are you sure?" asked Edward. "I see why you guys don't get along. There's nothing but evil in those eyes they have, and he will be hard pressed to say anything. You may have to do things you'd rather not to get him to talk."

"In the darkest night shines the brightest star", said Solor. "I will get the information out of him, no matter what it takes."

Edward raised an eyebrow at the phrase, wondering what brought it on, but soon sighed. Solor had that look in his eyes that he got whenever he had an idea and was unwilling to budge on it.

"Very well. But I'm going with you."

Solor nodded, "I need not your help. But, I know that you will be insistent, so, I will agree to this."

"Starborn," Sol said, "The Circle does not want the Traitor killed, yet. Kiinnum is only going to ensure that the prisoner is not tortured to death. It's nothing personal, my son. We need him alive, and I know your anger could get the best of you, especially now."

Solor said, "As the Circle wishes, then." That surprised Sol yet again. His son had matured so much during his time in Edward's universe that as the two left, Sol's chest swelled with the pride that only a father could have for the first time since before Moonlight died.

_Starborn is worthy to be my heir once more. When this is over, I will ask that the Circle reinstate him, if he survives. He's got a good mentor, though._

"Follow me," Edward said, "While you were gone, your father showed me where they are keeping the prisoner. He's well guarded, despite his stone restraints."

Solor fell into step with Edward until Edward unfurled his wings and took to the air. Solor was right behind him a moment later.

"As long as the prisoner is not killed, Solor, do what you think is best, but, if I feel that the prisoner is about to pass out or die, I'll have to step in. Personally, I would rather get the information out of him and execute him. But, if he dies before that information, if any, is recovered …"

Solor understood perfectly.

They arrived at the prisoner's location and Edward said, "You guys take a break for a while. Get something to eat, at least." The Earth Dragons under Golmul's direction moved away.

Edward looked at the prisoner and said, "Well, looks like it's Starborn, you and I now. There's no guards here to protect you, Traitor. Now, you have a choice to make. You may have information we need. You can either cooperate and you'll be treated fairly as a prisoner of war or resist and I promise you that you will regret ever being born.

"You see, Starborn has a very valid reason to want to do you a lot of harm. He's been brutalized and tortured in ways that are repugnant to me. We know all about Vilea here in Lair. We know she is about to lay Twilight whelps which will be an abomination. We know that Starborn is the unwilling sire to those whelps.

"And, just to you know the name of your enemy. I am Kiinnum, the hybrid that Grand Darkness tried to kidnap as a whelp, all grown up and more powerful than most of the Dragons in Lair. You see, Starborn is pretty powerful in his own right, but, what I know he wants to do to you will pale in comparison to what I am capable of. I can let him take you to the edge of death and I'll heal you just so he can exact more retribution. That means the cycle can go on for a long time until you break like a old, dead tree.

"You've seen me in battle, I'm sure. How many of your fellow Traitors fell before my might? Don't answer that. I want you to relive all that: My fearsome lightning, my chilling ice, my flame that make Starborn's fire look like a puny human match." Solor looked like he was about to interject, but, held his tongue as Edward continued.

"I know you've been trying to get out of this stone prison my human friends put you in, and I'm sure that at some point you may break free. I assure you that you will not survive. I've assigned some of my best people to making sure that your stay here remains here. It must be embarrassing to know that the 'Human scum' helped capture you. Oh, that's right, I knocked you out before my terra-kinetic friend sealed you in there with only holes for your waste and your neck.

"Cooperate, and you may live to see a prisoner exchange at the end of the war."

"I'd rather die," the Dark Dragon hissed, "I will never betray Darkness." He tried to spit on Edward, only to miss and get a head stunning slap in response. The Dark Dragon stared at Edward.

"I shall devour your family if I get loose for that," the Dark Dragon snarled.

Edward stepped back and calmly said, "Starborn, he's all yours."

Solor stepped forward, shifting to his full dragon form. He looked at what he had to deal with, and soon growled. "Tell us where the Dark Lair is. Or I will begin, and there will be no breaks until you surrender the information."

The Dark Dragon laughed. "Am I to be intimidated by the Light mosquito? Do your worst, scum. When this war is over, the Light will never be seen on this world again!"

Solor shook his head. "Wrong answer." His spine began to light up, surprising the Dark Dragon, and just like that, he was shooting a beam of light into the face of the prisoner. He began to scream in agony as he felt Solor's weapon against him, and was twisting his head this way and that to try to avoid it. After a minute or so, Solor ran out of breath, and stopped the attack.

"How dare you!" roared the prisoner. "You burn my scales with your Light?! When I get out of here I will-" His words were interrupted as another beam of light began hitting him in the face again, eliciting another roar of pain. Scales began to peel off from the force of the attack, causing the roars to increase in volume.

"You wretched scum! I will feed on your family when I escape!"

Another beam of light, burning the flesh on the dragon.

"You will rue the day you injured me!"

Another beam of light, causing more scales to peel and more flesh to burn.

"I will kill all you love, Starborn! Especially that mortal you want to be mated with!"

**THAT** was a poor choice of words, as Solor's eyes began glowing green, showing his rage. "You have made a terrible mistake, Traitor." He got into the dark dragon's face, staring him down. "I will not allow you to leave here alive. I will do whatever it takes to burn the Darkness out of your very soul, and get the information that I want. But the torment will not end there. I will kill you, slowly, painfully. I will remove every single scale from your body and char your flesh until you're nice and cooked, ready for the scavengers to have a full meal. And even then, you will not be dead. No, you will die when you are begging me for mercy, the mercy that I was not shown when I was in Vilea's grasp. And I will not grant it to you. You will die as I deem worthy, Traitor. Not as anyone else tells me you should."

The Dark Dragon was staring him down, surprise etched in his dark eyes. Slowly, though, he began to avert his gaze, which was shocking to Solor. "I will tell you", he said. "I will tell you everything you want to know."

Solor shook his head. "Wait, what?" He looked at the now scared dragon with confusion. "What happened to all that bravado I saw before? What happened to that strength?"

"You are stronger", said the Dark dragon. "And while I may not be leaving here alive, I'd rather die quickly and given a proper burial than fed to the scum of this world. I do not regret what I have said, don't get me wrong. But if my fate is death, then I shall choose the more honorable death."

Solor's eyes narrowed. Something wasn't right. There was no way this Dark Dragon would give up the information so easily. And right now, he was too injured to try to escape.

Edward walked over, grabbed the head of the Dark dragon and forced the enemy to look him in the eye and said, "I think you made a mistake, Darkness. You see, threatening those we love is worthy of a beatdown. I hold Starborn's chosen in the highest esteem. But, if you make the mistake of insulting the one I love...What he just did to you will pale in comparison." He allowed his eyes to glow a deadly red hue to drive the point home.

"If he is a Light Mosquito, you are a Dark gnat, and I am your worst nightmare come to life" Edward continued, "What's your game, eh? Surely you understand that if you are lying to us, you will die without even a shred of honor. You will be damned by the First to the deepest, dankest, darkest pit of Hell. We will let your corpse rot in the open field, picked over by the scavengers of the air and ground. Be truthful and we will honor your request for a burial and a quick death

"So, I will ask you: What are the plans of Grand Darkness? Whatever you know, we will know. If I sense you are lying, I shall beat you within an inch of your life. If my empathic mate senses you are lying to me or Starborn, you will suffer far worse then what Starborn just put you through. I will order that you get just enough nourishment to keep you alive. You will end up broken in every sense of the word. What Vilea did to Starborn will pale in comparison.

"How do you know Starborn is even interested in taking a mate? How many others know this little fact?"

The Dark Dragon replied, "Vilea told the officers and they told the solders that Starborn's chosen one was also pulled into your universe by a Tear of Oblivion."

Edward nodded and said "Thank you for the information. But, for now, let your pain speak to you. We'll be back and we'll continue this interrogation. But, I want to give you a present to remind you that telling the whole truth is your only option."

The Dark Dragon saw Edward's spines light up white, not at full power, though. Edward blasted the Dark Dragon with enough voltage that the Dark Dragon screamed.

Edward stopped his attack after a few seconds.

"If I get loose, I shall kill you for that," the Dark Dragon threatened.

"I seriously doubt that," Edward said, "You see, I am immortal. I do not fear you or what you think you could do to me, and I can snap your serpentine neck at any time I please."

The Dark Dragon's jaw dropped, "Oh, no! That hybrid!" Edward merely smirked as the Dark Dragon's bravado failed him again. Edward slammed the Dark Dragon's head into the ground like Godzilla slamming Ghidorah's heads into the ground.

"Let's go, Starborn," Edward said, "Let his pain speak volumes to him."

They left for a while and Edward said, "I hate using those methods. Don't misunderstand me, though. We need information and I know that this is faster. But, we need to outthink them as well, Solor, not outmuscle them. If he's lying, Rachael or Raven will tell me anyway. He lies …"

"We get to beat him senseless," Solor finished, "I'm surprised you did not stop me."

"The end result is what I was hoping to see," Edward said, "In my culture, torture is frowned upon. However, I am no longer strictly in my culture as your methods of getting intelligence were not a threat to our 'friend'. Given time, his scales will grown back and his skin will heal. But, I'm not afraid to use methods from ancient Greece or other forms of intelligence extraction, either. He tells us the truth, he gets executed in a quick manner, in accordance with your laws. If he leads us on a wild goose chase with fanciful lies...I'll send Golmul's dragons away and I'll join them for a meal...giving you the key."

"Give him a few hours. He'll want to talk freely, I hope."

Solor didn't know what to make of the changes in Edward's attitude. It was like a different Dragon than the one he knew before.

"Do not fear," Edward said, picking up on Solor's confusion, "To the Dragons of Lair, they will see the side of me that you got to know. But, those on the other side...the enemy, will see the side of Kiinnum that is as nasty as they come. You've only seen a flash of my temper, even on the Collector's ship. The solders here, as long as they follow orders will not have to worry about the side of me that I keep hidden. I'm going to have to rely on the link to keep me grounded in reality. Both Ravens know this.

"But, they know of the connection between you and Starfire. This is going to be a tactical problem. I shall have to consider it."

Edward saw the Earth Dragons charged with guarding the prisoner and said, "Your orders from before are still in effect. The prisoner is letting some pain speak to him for a while. From here on out, the prisoner is healthy. You do not see anything wrong with him."

"Yes, sir!" they responded.

"Only Starborn or myself are allowed to visit the prisoner, no one else," Edward amended.

"Yes, Sir!" was heard again.

"By the way," Solor said, "What was that crack about my flame being weak?"

"Wasn't personal, Starborn," Edward said, "I know your flame is quite strong, but, this POW doesn't need to know that. If he thinks my flame is almost nuclear in strength, he will not want to test me. We have a lot to teach each other, hatchling.

"Let me fill you in on what happened while you were gone..."

**[Partial Flashback]  
[The Circle - while Solor was at his mother's grave**]

Sol had been in discussions with the Circle since he came back and the Circle was digesting the news Edward had brought to them while Starborn was at his mother's grave.

Edward had been able to restrain his glee, barely, when he said, "Members of the Circle. I have good news and bad news to report from my home universe.

"The bad news is that a Dark Dragon was found there a couple days ago.

"The good news is that it looked like he was killed upon arrival by … My Mother!"

Life said, "Are you certain?"

"Yes," Edward said, "I got a call from my teammates and Starfire said that they found a weakened female dragon who after being assured that they were not going to kill her, lamented that she was alone in a strange world and was discouraged that she couldn't find her whelp, taken by the Circle because the whelp was born to no clan and was unique."

"That is good news," Water said, "I take it this is why Light told us there would be a delay?"

"I had to make sure for myself, so, I returned to my universe and moved her to the Titan Tower. She used up a lot of her reserves killing the Dark Dragon, I think. The blast she used tore through the enemy and I don't think he put up a fight. She's bitter at this whole deal, but, she's coping better than I expected. Scared, yes because she doesn't trust humans, but, willing to let my mother-in-law take care of her and also with my son there, it made things a bit easier for her.

"You were right, though, she's pretty weak and I hope that it's a result from the Tear she tried to use. I transferred some of my power to her."

"How did you do that?" Death asked.

"One of my abilities is a healing touch, Grand Death," Edward explained, "I knew she'd be in a weak state and applied my touch to her to stabilize her for a while. I will bring her back to Lair though so when her times comes to join the First, she will be home."

"That's fine," Grand Death said, "Too many of our brothers will die outside of Lair in this war as it is. Too many families will be singing their grief, as several are today."

"I know," Edward said, "I was there when several dragons came forward to claim their loved one. This is the part of war I hate...the notification to the next of kin. It's never easy. I see why you need a defense, Death. I think Starborn sees that now, to some degree. And, thank you."

"Small price to pay," Grand Earth said, "That she is still alive, though, is probably the best news you've had in a long, long time."

"Only news that would be better is finding out that my Raven is pregnant," Edward said.

"But, we have to kick plans into high gear," he continued, "I am ready to start my treatment and training. I've longed for the day when I can go all out on my weapons without the backlash."

Life said, "Kiinnum, this will take a while. Had we been able to do this when you were a whelpling, the spells would have worked easier. Now that you are likely full grown, your innate resistance will have to be overcome somehow. You see, each of us are resistant to magical attack."

"I know," Edward said, "In my 18th Century, I fought alongside some mortals to defeat other forces of Darkness and their spells didn't work on me that well. One tried infecting me with cancer via magical means. At the time, her pet had killed Paula and I was furious. I wanted to tear her apart, except that she was an evil ghost. Obviously, that didn't work. The spirit of my first love came back and said that she knew I would be dead inside and brought Paula back saying it wasn't time for Celesta to visit."

"Who?" Life asked.

"The sister of the Greek god Hades, the lord of the underworld," Edward explained, "anything living that she touches, dies immediately or maybe a few seconds after. I fear that she will be quite busy here.

"Regardless, time's wasting."

"Then, it is decided," Sol said with a smirk, "We'll start training as soon as possible. But, duty demands that we first commend our dead to the arms of the First."

Edward nodded, "I will help in this duty. They died because they came to my side. I must honor them in death as a result."

"Are you sure?" Grand Death asked, "We have traditions that you are unfamiliar with."

"Then, may I add some of the human traditions?" Edward asked, "Because I am sure I need to do this."

There was no dissent as the Circle moved out to pay homage and respect.

There weren't that many deceased Dragons to lay to rest given the shortness of the fight.

Edward walked among the troops who had passed and the ones who had survived it and as they watched, Edward's spines lit up a brilliant white, power arcing between them and once more aiming upwards, fired a blast of lightning that shook the ground and ignoring the pain, maintained the blast to garner the attention of all dragons.

"Dragons of Lair!" Edward called out, "Today saw the opening salvo in the War on Trigon and the Forces of Darkness. Today, we commend several of our brothers to the arms of the First who gave their lives in defense of the Light, and, for the first time, in defense of the humans of this world. Their sacrifice shall not be forgotten and as we mourn their loss in song and prayers to the First, we remember that their brothers will feel their loss. We remember that they have families who may say that they were weak in order to be defeated. I say, NO! They gave of their strength and they died honorably...in battle! They gave their lives to help defeat Darkness. And we did just that, today! Dragons of Lair! This was just one battle in the War, for Darkness has also declared War against us all. They say 'Darkness Extinguish Light'. Again, I say NO! to that. I say 'Light defeats Darkness!' We shall prevail and end this madness!"

The solders roared their tribute to the fallen and chanted "Light Defeats Darkness!

When the roars died down, Edward sang a funeral song from his days with Xena. His voice carried on the winds as he, too, mourned. It was a song he only sang for true warriors who had earned the honor, and, Edward honored their passing. The dragons bowed their heads, even those in the Circle to honor them.

By then, Solor had come back and as he also bowed his head and mourned.

Edward finished his song and said, "May the First, who created all, receive these souls as honored warriors. May He bless those dragons who called the departed a brother, or a son, or a nephew with His strength during this time of mourning."

When Edward finished, six Dragons came to the forefront and one said, "Kiinnum, you honor our dead with your words and your song. In our traditions, the six of us, one from each clan, also honor the dead by a salute of flame. We know you belong to no clan, but, would ask that you be the seventh."

Edward nodded, "It would be my distinct honor to join you."

Edward joined the ranks and after falling into formation, lit his ridges up one more time. A red glow started and as it built in intensity, Edward pointed his neck straight up.

The six representatives from the clans all fired into the air, their flames different colors as Edward released his own burst of flame into the mix.

After a moment, the assembled Dragons' flames died down and Edward moved aside in case the Circle wanted to say a few words as well.

Sol looked to the seven dragons, nodding at their flames. He stepped forward, raising his wings. "Today", he said in the dragon's tongue, "We have lost some of our children. It will not be the first we have lost to Darkness, and it will not be the last. Not until the day that the Traitor is finally brought to justice. Not until the day that all dragons can once again live in peace. Not until the day we are free to live the lives we wish in either this realm or the mortal realm. Until that day comes, I humbly ask you all to remain vigilant in our stand."

Grand Earth stepped forward, making the ground shake a bit before he lowered his head, closing his eyes. Soon, all of the dragons around did the same (including Edward, who got a nudge from Solor), and the Grand Earth began to sing. His voice was low, rumbling, but strong. Soon, all of the other dragons began to sing as well, and while Edward did not know the words, he understood the message.

_Goodbye, our friends. Until we meet again._

When they finished, Edward looked at Solor and asked, "Please, will you teach me your customs? Ignorance of ones customs and traditions is no excuse for offending one's host(s)."

"All right, Old-Timer," Solor said, "I would be honored. And, it will be my way of repaying you for coming here to help me."

"Fair enough," Edward replied, "I have to take care of some planning meetings with the Circle. Please, do not interrogate the prisoner until I am done. It shouldn't take long. But, expect an attack upon Lair. Grand Darkness would be an idiot to not want to retaliate. By now, he's been informed of the reinforcements from Lair."

**[Two hours later - Lair]**

While they were letting their guest get used to the fact that he was in deep trouble, Edward met with the Circle for the first stage of the plans for defeating Trigon, but, to maintain a defense for Lair as Edward fully expected an attack.

"That was a fine speech you gave, Kiinnum," Sol said, "I know that you encouraged our solders by your words."

"Thank you, my friend," Edward said, "But, I must consult with the Circle."

"Why?" Sol asked.

"The defense of Lair," Edward replied, "I know that if I were in Grand Darkness' shoes, I would be planning to strike here in the near future after hearing that my forces sent to destroy a simple T shape building in Jump City failed. I must assume that he's been told of the failed attempt by now. But, will he want to attack Lair first, before summoning Trigon or take it over when Trigon is here and our forces are distracted by fighting him and his minions?"

"Good question," Sol said, "You're right. We must consult the others."

So, they went to consult with the leadership while the enemy dragon's pain throbbed with each beat of his heart and gradually wondering if he had, indeed, been forgotten.

**[Lair of Darkness]**

Grand Darkness was plotting as well. He miscalculated with the attempt to destroy Titan Tower, thinking that an attack would destroy the building and those inside it.

"Damn that daughter of mine," he grumbled, "had to try to make that Starborn her personal sex toy to create my perfect grandchild and told him about Trigon. The Hybrid being here isn't a coincidence, either. Somehow, he was told of Starborn's plight and helped him to recover. And, how did that witch Raven be able to recast the Tear of Oblivion unless that fool Grand Light helped? That's the only explanation I can think of. Instead of a broken in spirit Light mosquito, he's back at full strength and at the side of the Hybrid. They obviously met in whatever universe Vilea used Raven to send him to.

"I have to assume that my scout to the other universe is not coming back, as well. Do I send another one when that hybrid is obviously here? Does he have a potential mate, though? Something I can use against him? But, I know with the dragons of Lair, threatening a mate doesn't end up good. I think my other scout in that universe made that mistake. he hasn't been heard from in months, I must assume he was captured or is dead.

"And, the fact that Lair has sided with the scum that crawls the world is something we will have to fix. Maybe destroy a city of theirs will convince the humans not to trust Dragons? But, we will need some humans on our side as sending a dragon spy may not work so well.

"Last we knew, Malchior was trapped in a book. If we get that and free him, he's one of the strongest Dark Dragons. But, where is that blasted book?"

Grand Darkness didn't know that in this universe, Malchior already made his play for freedom, only to have Solor convince Raven to set additional bindings on his prison. And, his counterpart in Edward's universe was probably a skeleton by now after enraging Edward.

His troops that were injured in the battle of Titan Tower were recovering slowly. Others were tasked with the grim duty of burial of the deceased. That alone got several Dark Dragons to pledge their lives to defeat the Light to avenge the fallen. It would take a few weeks before the worst of the injured dragons could fight again, but, Grand Darkness wouldn't sit on his haunches waiting.

He summoned one of his commanders and ordered that several task forces be readied to go to the mortals and harass them in their cities, as well as draw up new plans to attack Lair itself.

**[Titan Tower]**

Meanwhile, the Teen Titans and their counterparts from Edward's universe were also recovering from the battle. Cyborg was in a partial shutdown while Victor was recharging. They'd have to share the recharging station and it took a coin flip from Nightwing to get the matter decided on who would get first dibs on the recharging.

The other problem was that the tower was stretched to the limit with guests, but, the best thing there was that everyone bunked with their counterparts. The couples, though, presented a problem. Raven solved it by suggesting that Rachael stay in her room while Garfield (she got a huge kick out of that discovery!) and Tara stay in the room where Edward and Rachael stayed a few nights.

The Justice League Watchtower had the room to allow the Doom Patrol and other stand alone heroes to stay and Bruce Wayne offered to put others up at Wayne Manor or hotels. As the Batcave was linked to the Justice League and Titan Tower computers, an alert would sound in all three locations, if needed.

But, in Jump City, it was going to be interesting having two nearly identical teams there. Nightwing and Robin quickly decided that to keep the confusion down, they would merely stay in charge of their own teams. Robin's Teen Titans would be responsible for the various missions that would still come up in Jump City while Nightwing's older Titans would stay back to handle the coordination of defending against Trigon and the Dark Dragons along with whoever Edward wanted to use as a liaison between the allied Dragons and mankind. They suspected it would be Solor, though. If something came up that the Teen Titans needed the backup on, though, Nightwing agreed to have the Titans on standby.

Meanwhile, the top story of the day was, of course, the Battle of Titan Tower, as the media starting calling it and that the myth of Dragons was totally busted with the appearance of many Dragons fighting over the Tower. The clans had removed their injured as well as the dead, so, the battle field was actually in good shape. But, the folks in Jump City were also incensed that they were feeling threatened. It didn't matter that the walking dragons seemed to be protecting the city while the flight capable Dragons were fighting off the black ones.

Nightwing had considered going back to their universe, but, Superman made an excellent point that the older Titans experience with Trigon would be invaluable and talked them into staying for a while.

The media reports were mixed, though, as all their "experts" were not experts on Dragons and the fight threw everyone for a loop. It did not help matters that the dragons were talking of war...a phrase that those in power in DC and other countries had a vested interest in. There were some high level meetings going on in Washington. As in the President meeting with his joint chiefs as well as his Cabinet to see what they could do to avoid warring dragons from destroying cities and killing millions of citizens. What this Barnes had said worried them, though. If the threat of warring dragons wasn't bad enough, a very power demon was alto threatening to end all life.

The President knew he had to go in front of the People and first try to keep them calm and announce that the government was working to quell the potential violence. So, the White House announced that the next morning, he would address the nation.

That announcement got Rachael to contact Edward.

[Sweetheart?] she said.

[Hi, honey!] he replied, [What's going on?]

[The White House just announced that the President will be making some sort of announcement tomorrow morning. And the media has been replaying the battle all day and not helping to keep things calmed around here. Folks are not happy about this, at all. Robin had to disconnect the phone lines because of all the calls.]

Edward mused for a moment, [I'll try to teleport over tomorrow, but, Solor and I are still trying to extract information from our POW. Do me a favor, please: Keep me grounded emotionally. I might have to use tactics that I really don't care for. Also, record the President's speech. Something tells me they are not happy at these developments.]

[They aren't,] Raven said, [Robin is worried that the population might make a play of their own.]

[I would not be surprised, ladies,] Edward said, [Disappointed, yeah, but, I would expect some folks to stir up the crowd. It plays right into Darkness' hands. Everyone gets distracted, and, there's the rub. We'd be unable to plan effectively. Has there been any reaction from the Rogues' Gallery?]

[Not since the battle,] Rachael said, [We've been rather lucky so far.]

[That's good,] Edward replied, [The two teams can handle the missions without Solor or I, right?]

[Yeah, it shouldn't be a problem,] she said.

[Listen, I don't wanna worry you gals, but, there is the possibility that either one of you could be kidnapped to accelerate the prophecy,] Edward said, [If that happens, don't panic, just wait until you're taken wherever the Darkness will take you and soon as you recover...make sure to get as good of a look as possible and relay that to me. I'll have as many Dragons there to recover you as possible or it might just be Solor and myself. Just stall them long enough for at least me to teleport in. As long as Darkness doesn't realize I can sneak in under a disguise, it should be OK.]

[All right,] Rachael said.

[Soon as we're done with our prisoner, I'll have Solor come back and brief everyone. But, for operational security, we can't use Titan Tower anymore. If the Justice League folks are still there, ask if we can use a conference room or auditorium at the Watch Tower. The Dark Dragons won't be able to mount an attack there.]

[Raven's asking already,] Rachael said. A moment later, [They've agreed, they will leave a Javelin to help transport folks in case teleportation isn't possible.]

[Or to use as a decoy, if needed,] Edward realized. Both Ravens could teleport the groups to the Watchtower, and if Beast Boy were to morph to a bird and ride Terra's shoulder, it would reduce the load on Raven's powers. That would free up a decoy that would work at least once to keep the Dark Dragons from suspecting anything.

As the link went quiet, Edward was able to let Sol into the loop and they were rightfully concerned.

"I don't mind in case the military wants to help," Edward said, "but, unlike at home, I can't direct the military at all. I hope some of your people are still in a position to advise military leaders to take a wait and see position or at least suggest to them that the enemy are Dark Dragons and to not treat the others as an enemy force.

"I know, I know. The Circle suggests and implies what the human realm does. It's a good policy to have, Sol. You'll need to rely heavily on that to gain the trust of the masses. If they see that Dragonkind is not lording over the leadership of countries on pain of attack for not complying, that will go a LONG way. We're on the same page here because I could have been absolute ruler of my world. I chose not to walk that path, allowing humanity to grow. Even now, the general population knows of me and what I am. They also know that my role with world leaders is advisory and that they actually need to contact me for help. Within the USA and Canada, the governments passed laws that allow me to intervene as needed. Other countries are not required to let me have carte blanche in their areas. That is at my request, though. It allows countries to manage their sovereignty as they see fit, and, then, I go through their border controls like anyone else."

Edward sighed, "We'll have to impress on folks this policy of the Circle and that it is still enforced, even in wartime. They will have to know that it was Darkness that caused a lot of the wars on this planet, if I understand your history correctly."

"I see Starborn did tell you some of our history, then?" Sol asked.

"Of course," Edward said with a smile, "A lot of info he volunteered while in my universe, and, we pressed him gently for more. It's not like the Titans would use that against us, even here.

"I wish I had been here, though, when some folks went into the dragon slaying business. I might have been able to talk them out of slaying such wonderful folks. You all have treated me with the same respect I have shown you. Even Grand Death has treated me with respect even if he and I disagree on a few things."

"You've gotten him to think about things," Sol said, "Your telling him off lately was unexpected, but, he admitted while you were taking care of business that you had some good points. He's almost ready to hear my son's apologies and, for the good of all...he's somewhat willing to accept Starborn's being with Kreinyol. But, if I am willing to allow it as his father …"

"Forgive me, Sol," Edward said, "It's not just accepting that as Solor's father, you have to extend that into your position of authority and tell the Circle that as the Light of the Circle, you approve of this relationship. Just like your tradition if selecting a mate, you need to propose that this be Starborn's mate. They will not be as bound together is a mated pair here. He told me that typically, when one mate dies, the other one passes soon afterwards. It's a symbiotic relationship except for the Circle. Moonlight passed on a few years ago and that whole 'mate died, I will join her soon' doesn't apply. It will be the same with Solor and Kreinyol. She could fall in battle here, some other place or pass away from old age. Starborn will survive physically and will be eligible to have a dragoness after he mourns her. A word of forewarning, though: When she passes, be his father. Ignore any words he may say in anger or grief and just be there for him. He'll want to be alone for a while, so, give him the space he needs."

"I know," Sol said.

"That's good," Edward replied, "Speaking of your son...Time to have another chat with our Dark prisoner. Starborn did quite the number on the guy...enough that he wants to cooperate."

"Watch it," Sol advised, "The prisoner may try to deceive you."

"Built-in lie detector," Edward said and pointed to his head, "Rachael would tell me if our 'guest' is telling the truth or not. He knows that if he lies, it's not gonna be pretty."

"Considering the roars we heard earlier, it sounded like he annoyed Starborn," Sol said.

"Annoyed isn't quite the word I'd use," Edward mused, "The idiot made the mistake of threatening Kreinyol and that really angered Starborn. In fact, that reminds me...They all know about Starborn's romantic interest. That's a liability and I'm going to divert some troops to be her bodyguards as there would be the target on her back. In fact, I would be putting bodyguards on Raven as well. Namely the Teen Titans, but, I want there to be an overt show of force in case Darkness makes a play. Depending on how Terra imprisoned the guy, she might have to release him. Then again, brute force may also accomplish the same thing, and we have to be careful. I do not want him free to roam around Lair or even to cast a Tear of Oblivion."

As Edward said that, Solor soon joined the conversation. "Most likely, if Vilea knew, then Grand Darkness knows. But he feels that I am more of a nuisance than an actual threat, and that may be his downfall. Otherwise, they would have made a play for Kreinyol a long time ago to get me to cooperate with them. Something that I'd be hard pressed to say no to."

At that, Sol frowned. "Then we must be very careful. I will send some dragons to aid the Titans in protecting Raven and Sunfire. As much as I feel the Titans can handle themselves in a fight with other mortals, Darkness is crafty, and may trick them. Who knows how long Vilea was watching. She may have told her father what Starborn's human form looks like."

"Then I will simply change it", said Solor, growling a bit. "I have an alternate human form that looks significantly older than my teenage form. I will tell my friends to only trust me when I look like an adult. I have not taken that form in this universe yet, and it may throw the Darkness off." He looked at his father, smiling. "Thank you for considering my love, Father, but my friends are more than capable. I am actually certain, if Malchior had made a successful attempt at escaping his book, that the Titans would have defeated him." He explained the story about what happened to Malchior in Edward's home, and how he was able to prevent that from happening here in his own home.

"Now, you were saying Edward, that it is time to attend to our 'guest'?"

"Yes," Edward said, "I'll talk to Rachael. I know that the Titans can defend themselves from normal threats, but, I have to agree with your father. I want some dragon backup there when the Justice League has to watch the rest of the planet now.

"Sol, the only way the Titans in my universe defeated Malchior there is that Raven after she realized she was tricked, remembered the curse that Rorek used to trap him, and that combined with her own power, put Malchior back. Somehow, he was released and put into her mind. The damage he did was as bad as what Vilea did. When her emoticlones and I evicted the rat bastard, he tried a physical attack on the Tower to kill my love. Terra and I killed him. He wasn't human, so, the no kill rule was irrelevant.

"The Titans can handle a single dragon, but, multiple dragons...No, I do not have that much confidence in them. They get swarmed with like a dozen stronger dragons, and, the Tower falls.

"But, let's get this over with. See if that sumbitch wants to extend his life."

Solor nodded, and soon, after going through the guards again, the two were at the prisoner's location, and the dark dragon didn't look too comfortable.

"So, Traitor, what do you have to say?" Solor asked, glaring at the Dark Dragon.

"I will tell you everything I know", said the prisoner. "And I promise that I will not lie. All I ask is that my death is swift and I am buried here, in Lair."

Solor looked to Edward, who nodded. He then looked back down at the Dark Dragon. "I cannot promise that. Your kind has not set foot in Lair in millions of years besides trying to steal eggs and cause chaos for us. That is up to the Circle. However, if your information is useful, then I will do what I can."

The prisoner nodded. "My name is Vulonviing." Solor suppressed a snicker, which made the dragon stop. "If you are to insult my name-"

"No, no, it is nothing", Solor said. "It is just... a mortal friend has a similar name. I find it ironic."

Vulonviing raised an eyebrow, but made no comment. "I am a mere soldier, so I do not know much. I do, however, know where Dark Lair is located in the mortal realm. And I do know of one entrance that anyone can enter."

"And where is this entrance?" Solor asked. "It shall be useful to us, in hoping to find and stop Vilea."

"Under Mount Olympus", said Vulonviing. "In Greece. We discovered this... flaw in our defenses a long time ago, as a human discovered it. But after seeing so many dragons, she went mad, and... well, no one would believe her." He snickered a bit. "I must admit... it was quite amusing."

Solor was about to say get on with it, but stopped. The human going mad seemed to be interesting. "And this human... what was her name?"

"Why does it matter?" asked Vulonviing. "She is long dead, claimed by the gods she worshipped many years ago."

"Just a hunch", Solor said. "Answer the question."

"I do not know if this was her true name... but she was odd. I believe that the other humans called her Callisto."

Edward's eyes went yellow and he snarled, "Callisto? Blond gal, about 5'11" as the mortals measure it?"

"Yes," the Dragon said, "If you don't mind: What was she to you? Some sort of plaything?"

Starborn said, "Oh boy!"

Edward's eyes went to blazing red and his scales started a rapid color shift, indicating he was beyond pissed.

His spines lit up white and Starborn got out of the way, "You shouldn't have said that. Kiinnum, stop this! Callisto was in your universe, not here!"

The Dark Dragon realized as the lightning poured forth that Edward was far more powerful than Starborn as he screamed in agony.

When Edward stopped, he looked at the Dark Dragon and said, "The only reason I am letting you live is because you have information we require. One more crack about our lovers and you shall die a slow, painful death and not even Starborn will stop me. Do I make myself clear?!"

Vulonviing immediately cowed, and nodded as best as he could. "Yes, I promise! I am sorry for insulting her!"

Solor, looking at the Dark Dragon, felt pity. It was surprising, but he needed the prisoner to calm down, and Edward being here wouldn't help that. "Kiinnum, head out. I will handle the interrogation from here."

"You're not gonna order me out of here", Edward snarled, obviously still incredibly angry.

"By my right as Heir to the Light", Solor said, eyes flashing green, "you will stand down, go outside, and talk to your mate. Is that understood?" Edward may be stronger, but unfortunately for the older dragon, Solor could still take him in a fight with his beam weapon. And using rank was challenging him to say anything other than "Yes sir" and follow orders. Edward didn't like it, but he had no choice.

"Fine", he said, grumbling a bit as he began to reach through the mental connection he had with Rachael and left the room, leaving Solor and Vulonviing alone.

Solor, however, wasn't completely on the Dark Dragon's side. "Don't think I've saved you, Traitor. That was a stupid move on your part. You are on thin ice. Say one more thing about Kreinyol, Callisto, or any other mortal you know we are connected to, and I will follow through on my threat. Your body will be on display for all of your brethren to see.

But, I need you to try to calm down a bit. Kiinnum is very touchy about his past lovers, and, I cannot believe I am saying this: I am sorry you went through that. I will honor this deal previously made as best I can. I'll talk to him when we are done. I am not completely without mercy right now. Do not make me regret apologizing for him."

Vulonviing gulped, and continued his story, telling Solor exactly how to get in the Dark Lair without being detected.

XxXxX

**[Outside, while Solor was talking to the POW]**

Edward was furious at the prisoner. _How DARE he insult Callisto like that?!_

[Edward? What's wrong?] Rachael asked, [Your anger is bleeding through the link to my counterpart.]

[That goddamned POW insulted me and Callisto, that's what's wrong,] he snarled.

[Edward, I seriously doubt that your POW is aware of your relationship with someone from your past and in OUR universe,] Rachael said calmly, [Even if there is or was a counterpart, she would not have known you. You cannot afford these reactions, my love. The enemy will use them against you...against us. Remember when Raven said that your anger was pointless here. Listen to her as she is still me. You and I have to remember that what happened in our universe and your history is irrelevant here. The Callisto of this universe never knew you, never knew about dragons.]

[Actually,] Edward sighed, [This universe's Callisto was driven insane when she stumbled on the Dark Lair. The sight of hundreds of dark dragons drove her insane and no one believed her. What should I do?]

[Listen to Solor,] she advised [We are the guests in his world and you are a fish out of water coping with a lot of stress. You can't let that get to you so much that you offend our hosts, either the Teen Titans or Solor's people. But, you need to calm down. Find your center and meditate. Think of the calming waves here.]

She spent a few minutes helping Edward picture the waves crashing into the shore with a gentle roar. That got his eyes from a deadly red to a yellow shade at least. But, Edward was so incensed at Solor ordering him to leave, it took longer to fully calm down. But, as he calmed and became more rational, he realized that maybe Solor had no other choice and would ask him calmly.

After a good, long chat with the prisoner, Solor stepped out, turning to the Earth guards. "He has told us what we needed. However, we still must keep him here until the Circle has decided what to do with him. Again, no one is allowed in or out without mine, Kiinnum's, or the Circle's say in it."

"It shall be done, Light Heir", said the first guard.

"Thank you." Solor then turned to see Edward, leaning against a wall. His eyes were still glowing yellow, but he was considerably calmer. "I assume Rachael has calmed you down a bit?"

"Yes", said Edward. He then turned, frowning at Solor. "Why did you order me to leave? She would have calmed me down, whether or not I was there with you."

"Because you not only harmed the prisoner, you scared the absolute living crap out of him", Solor replied. "He was likely to say anything out of fear, and the panic may cause him to neglect some details. You might have taken that as a lie, and would have called him out on it. I'd rather him be cooperative and know he will die swiftly than have the belief that the deal is off and clam up."

Edward's eyes faded, revealing a surprised look. "Um... wow. I didn't think of that."

"You were angry. We make our biggest lapses in judgment when angered", said Solor, smirking. "Take it from me. I can't tell you how many times my anger's gotten me in trouble. Even from what you've seen pales in comparison to how many times my anger got me in trouble with my mother."

Edward now couldn't help but feel guilty. If he had done something like that, then the whole point of a POW would have been pointless, and they'd have to wait for another attack to try to capture another dragon. Solor noticed this, and smiled. "I believe you can do him one last service", he said. "His scales are growing back a bit, but it will take some time. Dark Dragons are very vain. I'd recommend helping them grow back; I'm sure he'll appreciate the gesture."

Edward nodded, "I owe him an apology. You're right, and, I am sorry."

"Go," Solor said.

"Come with me, please," Edward said.

"Oh no, you don't," Solor said, "You need to do this on your own. Trust me on this one."

Edward went into the prisoner and said, "Nightwing? Look at me, please. It's all right, you do not have to avert your eyes, and I would like you to look in my eyes.

"I am sorry for attacking you like that. You had no idea that in my universe, Callisto was my girlfriend for a while. Starborn told me that Dark Dragons are...proud dragons and the looks of your scales tells me that you're not in a good shape.

"I have an ability to repair the damage, and, well...I would like to use that on you. I know you may have been frightened out of your mind and neglected to tell Starborn some vital information out of fear. What deals we make, will be honored to the best of our ability because you've cooperated. I would rather you trust us, even a little bit. This is a bonus, though, to any deals. It's my way of apologizing. Do you agree to this?"

The Dark Dragon nodded fearfully.

"Calm down," Edward said, far more gently than he had before, "This will allow you to at least feel better. There's no need to fear me anymore. I think you've been scared enough for now. You were forced to cooperate. Now, I would ask that you cooperate willingly. No more threats, at least from me. That way, when it is your time, it will allow Starborn and I to recommend a swift execution or maybe leniency. It might not be a death sentence, but, a sentence of indefinite length."

Edward's hands started glowing blue with healing energies and that glow spread until his body was glowing.

Edward gently grasped the Dark Dragon by the head and the healing power went into the Dark Dragon, causing his wounds to repair themselves and his scales to regenerate faster. It took several minutes, but, finally Edward released his enemy and said, "Your scales have been regenerated fully and the damage done by our method to convince you is reversed as well. Again, I am sorry for attacking you, and I forgive you for what you said. I don't know if Dark Dragons are able to forgive, but, I ask for your forgiveness regardless. I was out of line and man enough to say that.

"We will be back later to go over what you said. Give you a chance to remember anything you neglected out of your panic or that you want to clarify without any pain speaking to you."

"Why help me when I will be killed anyway?" The Nightwing Dragon asked.

"Because, I wanted to let you know that even though you are an enemy, that you did not realize that you crossed a line with me on a personal level. You did not deserve to be tortured in that manner. Even you deserve to die with dignity," Edward said honestly, "I will assume that you told Starborn the truth as you promised as well. In return, we will let you have a last meal of your choosing before you die. It's a human tradition to give the condemned a chance to enjoy a last meal … and a chance to seek forgiveness from the First. Starborn and I will try to get the Circle to agree to let you be buried here in Lair, but, they will need to know why."

"Because, Grand Darkness will kill me for betraying him and leave me to rot in an open field, exactly how Starborn said he would do with me," the Dark Dragon said, tears in his eyes, "And it would not be a swift death. He would allow Vilea and others to torture me to death. I would die horribly. You at least would grant me a painless death and, please, a proper burial."

Edward remembered when Solor was mourning Slade in his universe and nodded, "I understand. Even an enemy deserves some honors in this culture, I have learned. If your information is verified, I will make an exception to one of my rules and sing the song a woman named Xena taught me to honor a warrior. You fought bravely, I noticed, and that gets you the tradition of mourning a worthy opponent to be upheld by me.

"But, please remember that I am not on your side. We are still enemies because you aided in the attack on Titan Tower. I normally do not heal an enemy, but, you had no means to defend yourself. Honor demanded this act of kindness, even to an enemy.

"Get some sleep, Nightwing." Edward left and saw Solor standing there.

"How did it go?"

"He's frightened," Edward said, "But, I did heal his wounds and apologized to him. He's worried that if we return him to the Dark Lair, he would be tortured to death by Vilea and left as an example to rot. I am not in favor of that. At least here, he would get a warrior's send-off, if I understand your tradition."

"We do mourn the death of a worthy opponent," Solor admitted, "I wish you hadn't attacked him like that, though, and I didn't wanna fight you over it."

"You're not reinstated as the Heir to the Light," Edward said, "However, that is a likely formality anyway. That's why I complied...and what you said a few minutes ago made sense. Starborn, please, forgive me."

Solor was surprised that Edward was asking for forgiveness, but nodded, "We both have the same issues when it comes to our girlfriends/mates. Of course, I forgive you. In fact, I should apologize to you. While you are correct that I am not reinstated officially, as there has been no other naming ceremony, I am technically still the Heir. I should not have pulled rank on you, but you would not listen otherwise."

Edward gave it some thought and replied, "Well, I cannot fault you here. You did what you thought was best, so, yes, I accept your apology. Our friend doesn't need to know that you're not formally reinstated, anyway.

"If there is a next time, and I hope there isn't, I will tell you what I told Starfire: You may use whatever force is required to distract me or calm me down. She had to do that on Tamaran and she was so distraught, it took me, Nightwing and David to reassure her that I wasn't mad."

"Will this Dark Dragon continue talking to us?" Solor asked.

"He will," Edward said, "His bravado is gone, even though his vanity is restored as well as his dignity. I reassured him that I believed he told you the truth and to think over anything he neglected to say because he panicked. I remember where Mt. Olympus is, so, we can start there in the morning. When the Greek gods fell, Mt. Olympus became inaccessible. There's no way to get to the top, even by my teleportation, but, as we're going in the other direction, it's OK.

"Also, if he willingly cooperates without having to be fearful of another attack, could we get the Circle to not put him to death? We would not release him because the other Dark Dragons would hunt him down and he would serve a long sentence."

"That's fine, I suppose," Solor said, "But, don't think I am going to show him any more mercy...and you shouldn't either."

"I'm not," Edward said, "but, he's been broken enough, I think. He'll still talk, especially now. He knows that we'll honor as best we can his final wishes, if the Circle determines he must be executed. We'll scout out an out of the way gravesite near Lair's borders where he's unlikely to be visited. It shouldn't be an unmarked grave, though. He deserves that as well, but, as you said, the Circle will have to determine that."

"Well," Solor replied, "The Circle could see that he's just a solder following orders, and that would help him a little. His cooperation, especially if it's voluntary now, would further help. We will go to Mt. Olympus tomorrow.

"Also, I will not tell the Circle of this incident, however, and I say this as your friend: Do not let that happen again or the Circle will have to be informed and they may have to appoint a new leader who is in control of their rage. Any references to your universe have to be ignored. It is a course of action I would regret having to take. Are we clear?"

Edward raised an eyebrow, but, nodded, "Yes."

Solor smiled, "Good enough for me. I know that you're a dragon of your word.

As the sun was setting on Lair, Solor said, "We'll have to find you some place to rest and eat. It's been a very LONG day."

Solor motioned for Edward to follow, and took to the skies, flying towards a familiar mountain. As Edward looked down and recognized Moonlight's grave, Solor flew into a cave, and called Edward down. "I know, you are probably used to mortal commodities. Personally... I've missed being here, in my cave." He looked to Edward. "There is plenty of room still, as this is where I lived with my mother and brother. I would be honored if you would stay here tonight. I can go hunt some food for us while you rest. I'm sure that the backlash of the lightning attack is still fresh, and I know you need to meditate."

"No need to hunt, Filkiin", said a low voice, and the two turned to see Sol sitting there, with a couple of deer corpses. "I knew you'd come here tonight. So, I made some preparations while you were dealing with the prisoner. Come, eat, and tell me what you have learned."

Solor nodded, averting his eyes a bit as he entered. He was too focused on the fresh kill, anyway, as his mouth watered a bit.

Edward smiled, as Solor began to explain everything he had learned from the prisoner. He was eager to talk to his father for the first time in a few years, and his father was actually listening, rather than either of them letting pride get in the way.

It was nice, seeing a family beginning to bond again.

XxXxX

**[Unknown Location]**

Vilea smirked as she looked around, glad with what she had chosen. After digging out a nice spot in the middle of nowhere, she couldn't help but feel proud of herself. The nest was the perfect size, and already she could feel the first egg starting to exit her body.

The first black and bronze egg was laid within five minutes of the nest's completion.

"Don't worry, kiddies", she said, smiling as she cooed at the egg. "Momma's gonna protect you from the big bad Light Dragon.

"Even if Momma has to kill Daddy to do it."


	9. Edward's Ordeal

**Chapter 9**  
**[Center of Lair - Following Morning]**

As Solor was the only one with the information (besides Vulonviing himself), Sol decided it was best the entire Circle hear about the layout of the Dark Lair. So, after dining on deer and heading for bed, Solor awoke bright and early the next day. He then headed for where his father, Edward, and the rest of the Circle were no doubt waiting.

Upon arriving, Grand Life smiled. "Good morning, Starborn. How was your rest?"

"Uneventful", Solor said, averting his eyes, seeing as he still had to follow the rules. "My dreams are long gone, and my body is well rested. I admit, I did somewhat miss sleeping in my cave."

Grand Death said nothing, but everyone could tell he was still ticked off. However, he made no moved to either mock or otherwise insult Solor, so there was no need to confront him.

Grand Earth stepped forward, kneeling down. "Grand Light has told us that you have important information, regarding our prisoner."

Solor nodded. "Indeed, Grand Earth. Am I permitted to tell you what he has told me?"

"You may proceed", said Grand Fire. "I am certain this information may change the tide of the war."

Solor frowned. "Or it may not. Vulonviing, our prisoner, has explained that Dark Lair is located under the great Mount Olympus, once home to the great Greek gods. Normally, I would dismiss that as fairy tales, but given what Edward has said, and the vastly powerful people that live on this world and the others blessed by the First, I would say that they may be watching us over this next mission." He decided to continue, as he had been rambling. "Now, the entrance is on the north east side, and is approximately twenty feet above sea level. No normal human can enter it now, as the path that once led the way into it was destroyed after a human, named Callisto, found the entrance by mistake. If we were to send anyone, it would have to be someone... or something that would be able to fly. There is the occasional bat that makes the cave its home.

"Now, the entrance is the only part of the Dark Lair that is visible above the surface of the earth. Similar to a glacier, most of the rest of the Lair is carved underneath the surface to keep them from being spotted. And since Dark Dragons can see without the aid of light, they are able to live underground without any issues. This is where it gets tricky. There is a large chamber at the end of the entrance tunnel that drops straight down into it, and this chamber has nine paths branching out. To the North is the breeding grounds. The south is the graveyard. East and west are the nesting grounds, and every other chamber is a tunnel that leads to the homes of the Dark Dragons. And... there is no tunnel that goes directly to either the Traitor's or Vilea's homes, as they are reached only via Tear of Oblivion. So, likely, we would have to capture a Dark Dragon inside of the Lair, and bring him back to Lair without anyone noticing. Preferably, we'd have to collect one of Grand Darkness' commanding generals or perhaps one of his other children, one who is close enough to Vilea to tell us where she would be nesting.

"Unfortunately, there were bits and pieces that Vulonviing may have not shared yet. As he does not trust us to keep our end of a bargain - to give him a swift Death and a proper burial - he may be holding back information."

"And, where would this proper burial be?" Grand Death asked, dreading the answer.

"In Lair," Solor said.

"Absolutely not!" Grand Death said, "We have not allowed a Dark Dragon to be buried here in thousands of years."

"With respect," Edward said kindly, "We need his cooperation right now. If he is holding back because he knows he will not get a proper burial, we could go into the Dark Lair and into a trap. I can infiltrate it as a bat, that's relatively easy, it's knowing where the defenses are at and how those are set up that concerns me. Also, would Vilea use the breeding grounds or some other place in their lair or some other place?"

"Can you see in the dark, though?" Grand Earth asked.

"Quite well," Edward replied with a smirk, "and, if I stay in bat form, I can use echolocation as well. It would be a last resort, though. Once I'm in the cave and have enough of the layout committed to memory, I can teleport as needed. I also have a few other ideas in mind. I have to assume that they are unaware of Malchior's location. Once I have the layout down pat, I can probably go under cover as Malchior and get one of the higher ranking Dark Dragons to get close enough where I can snag him and teleport him to Lair where if he sees a force of the strongest dragons beside myself, there might not be much of a fight, but, we have to make sure that whoever it is cannot even open his jaws to cast a Tear. I can certainly stun such a dragon with strong enough lightning and we can bind him or I can, with the Circle's permission, bring my universe's Terra to Lair and she can encase him in rock as well."

"Starborn," Grand Life said, "Tell our prisoner that if he is forthcoming with every minute detail, we will see about granting his last wishes. Kiinnum, we need you to stay put. It is time we at least started your treatment and some training. We'll make sure that the prisoner is treated as well as any Traitor."

"If he is truly destined to be executed," Edward said, "He has already turned over valuable information and become a traitor to his own leadership, and, I respectfully request that the Circle allow him to enjoy his last days. He cannot return to the Dark Lair as they will assume that he was captured and I doubt that he can actually lie and tell Vilea that he said nothing. It did not take much for Starborn to get him to talk. He is frightened of what she'll to do him and that if before he is tortured to death and left to rot as an example to the others. We do not have to allow him free reign to explore Lair, but, at least good food and released from the stone shell Terra put him in. Maybe some strong chains to bind him?"

"Why shouldn't we let him rot outside of Lair?" Grand Death asked.

"Why not an unmarked site just inside of Lair?" Starborn countered, "He is earning that much, I think."

Sol said, "We will have to discuss it further. For now, you may tell him that his cooperation will be taken into consideration and we are inclined to agree, pending the success of Kiinnum's mission...and if he asks about that, it's need to know. He might figure it out regardless. but, if he does, do not confirm or deny that.

"If Kiinnum is able to capture one with a higher rank where we can get additional intel, all the better, but, it's so risky."

"We have to take that risk," Edward said, "We certainly cannot send in the Titan's Beast Boy as a bat. He retains his green coloration regardless of form. He'd end up dead and Terra would never forgive us."

Solor nodded, "Got one that right." The much younger dragon bowed his head. "I shall inform the prisoner of your consideration. I am certain he will be happy about that, at the very least." He moved to leave, but paused.

"Yes, Starborn?" asked Water. "Is there something you'd like to ask?"

"I would", said Starborn. He moved back, and bowed his head. "I know it is against customs... but perhaps there is someone we can send besides Kiinnum. With proper training, any dragon can shift into an animal, correct?"

"Starborn, you are not considering-" started Sol.

"If it is possible, I would like to go with Kiinnum to Dark Lair at the very least", Solor responded. "He may need the extra muscle, and perhaps, while he is distracting the next target while looking like Malchior, I could get into position and stun him long enough to allow our general to teleport all of us back to Lair."

Death looked stunned by this. "You are willing to... return to that place? It is likely that is where they kept you for so long. Are you sure you want to go?"

"Yes", Solor said simply. "I... I need to do this. To show that Darkness has no power over me, whether it be on my mental health or emotional stability. This will allow me to not only face all of my friends and family with a high head... I shall also be able to look at myself without shame."

Death looked to his mate, and soon sighed. "If Grand Life is alright with it... then I shall consent to this as well. As normally Life dragons learn this ability, it is not very common for another clan to choose this skill."

The rest of the Circle slowly nodded. Grand Life gave a smile. "It will not be easy, but if Kiinnum is going to be recovering from his treatment, then we can likely postpone this mission until both of you are ready."

Solor nodded, and bowed once more, before finally taking his leave, heading to Vulonviing to share with him the good news.

Edward looked at Grand Death and also bowed in respect, "Thank you for that, sir. Starborn deserves this opportunity to redeem himself in his own eyes. This is unexpected, to be honest. I can do this mission without him. However, his point is also valid. So, I will accept his help and will help teach him how to assume different animal forms."

"It took a lot for him to ask that," Sol said, "Ten years ago, he wouldn't have asked that at all. Kiinnum, when you are ready, we will entertain a motion to reinstate him officially."

"He's ready," Edward said, "It is not my place to tender such a motion, as I am not a member of the Circle. However, I would support such a motion on behalf of the dragons under my command. He is already seen as reinstated by other dragons regardless."

Grand Life said, "I make a motion to reinstate Starborn as Heir to the Light on a probationary basis to end at the discretion of the Circle."

Water said, "I will second that."

Earth said, "We should allow Kiinnum to poll us and act as chair for this matter." Edward bowed at that suggestion, "If that is what the Circle wishes."

There was no objections, so, Edward said, "What say you, Life?"

"Starborn has shown that Life will find a way," she said, "He has shown that he is contrite and apologetic for his past deeds. I feel that he is deserving of the opportunity to have his rightful title and status back."

"What say you, Grand Death?"

"No," he said, "He flaunts our traditions and our teachings. He deserved death for attacking me, and deserves permanent banishment for being a Breed Traitor. However, I know Kiinnum objects to that and I have to take that into consideration as well as how Starborn has learned to control his anger issues, so, while I vote no for now...if Starborn continues on this path, even Death can overlook the past and be forgiving. If he continues on his new path, I will welcome him into the Circle and give him my consent as well as my pardon."

Edward started steaming at the beginning of the statement, then, as even Grand Death said he would basically change his mind and pardon Starborn, he smiled.

"What say you, Grand Fire?" Edward asked.

"Starborn has shown the fire that he once had, but, is working on control," Fire said, "I am certainly in favor of the reinstatement."

"And, what say you, Grand Water?" Edward inquired.

"Starborn has, like the flow of water around an obstacle, shown that he is flexible enough to overcome whatever is in his path. I say Yes," she responded.

"What say you, Grand Light?"

"Starborn has regained the Light," Sol said, "He was in a dark place for a long time and he has shown that like the Light, he is showing his increased maturity since he returned from Kiinnum's universe, and for Starborn to share his Light tells me a lot. For the first time in a long time, we are setting aside our pride to be the family that Moonlight wished."

"What about you, Grand Earth?" Edward said.

"Starborn has shown the strength of the Earth in wanting to undertake this mission," he rumbled, "His courage in wanting to face the Darkness despite his fears is like a mountain facing the winds."

"Then, it is decided," Edward said, "Starborn is hereby reinstated and renamed as Heir to the Light on a probationary basis. By your leave, I would like to tell him this news."

"Go," Grand Earth said, "But, be quick, please. We can no longer afford delays in your treatment/training."

"I understand," Edward replied, and bowing in respect once more, left the Circle.

**[10 minutes later]**

Edward located Solor as he was leaving the prisoner.

"How did he take the news?" Edward asked.

"He was pleased," Solor replied, "He asked us to come back later on and he would tell us more."

"Excellent news," Edward said, "Also, I have some good news for you, Light Heir."

Solor, not having heard Edward call him by his title, raised an eyebrow.

"The Circle voted," Edward said, "and in the Name of the Circle, I am honored to tell you that you are the Heir to the Light once more. It is a probationary period, but, that's a formality as well. The only temporary dissent was Grand Death, but, he said that if you keep on the path you are on, he will pardon your attack on him and forgive you for breaking traditions."

"You're kidding me," Solor said, but, the look on Edward's face said otherwise, "I do not know what to say."

"'I pray that I am worthy of this honor,'" Edward quoted him, "That's all you said many years ago as a whelpling and that is still a correct response. And, to be honest, had they offered me the position/honor, I would have said 'No, that honor belongs to Starborn. He is the rightful heir being Sol's son. I have no right or reason to take that away from him.'"

Solor looked down and said, "I do not know if I am worthy yet. I still feel shame."

"Cast out fear," Edward said again, "You're on the right path and I will be training you along with Grand Life, on how to assume other animal forms. It will not be easy, though. It takes a good mind on how to do that. We can get tips from my universes' Beast Boy as well.

"That said, I must return to the Circle. I can't delay any longer starting this treatment."

"All right," Solor said. "Let's hope it goes well."

After returning to the Circle, Edward stood in the center of the remains of the mountain, as per the instructions of Sol. Soon, they stood on the edges, where their platforms once belonged. "We really should find a new mountain", Fire mused. "While I am fine with this level, I do somewhat miss my platform."

"This is an age of war, Brother", said Water. "We'll worry about the mountain once we deal with this threat against our world."

Solor almost laughed, but managed to cover it up with a cough. He wasn't used to the Circle acting so casually.

"Now, Kiinnum, there is a special spell that we must cast on you. Each of us will use our very life essence to repair whatever has caused these complications in your body", said Sol. "As a whelp, this would have been much easier, and would possibly have lasted five minutes at the least. However... I cannot guarantee that it will be a pleasant experience."

"Each of us will activate our Blessings, and use the magic to alter your body, one by one", said Earth. "Once we finish our task, the next will continue the Circle until it is complete. Starting with myself, and ending with Death."

"This may not be pleasant", said Death, "especially when my Blessing will touch you. As you are immortal, like us, you may not have ever felt Death creeping on you. My spell will be like a reset button; I will shut down your body, and allow you to reboot. During this time, you will feel the weakest and most vulnerable you've ever been. Whatever your enemies have tried to do to you, even what Trigon has done to you, will pale in comparison. Many dragons cannot accept that anyone can feel like this. And it will test you to your limit."

Edward said, "I have never backed down from a challenge before, members of the Circle. Let us begin. I trust Starborn with my life, so, I shall trust you as well. I need a moment to tell my mate, though."

"That's fine," Grand Earth said.

[Rachael,] Edward said, [The Circle is about to start their treatment for me. Please, do not panic when the link goes completely offline. Also, shield yourself from any backlash through the link, as I do not know what will bleed through. Grand Death will basically shut my body off and allow it to reboot itself. I promise, I will come back, better than ever, though.]

On the far end of the link, though, Rachael sat there in shock regardless as a tear fell. That was seen by Garfield who went over to her, then, Kori went over and pulled her into a hug.

"What is wrong, sister Raven?" she asked.

"Edward just told me that the treatment requires a reboot," was the strained reply, "As in killing him to let his immortality reset him."

"He'll be fine," Raven said, "go and meditate. I will join you."

"As will I," Starfire said. That was followed by Terra, Beast Boy and Kori.

Nightwing said, "It'll be OK, Rachael. Edward wouldn't allow this to happen if he wasn't sure and we're right here. All of the Titans are here."

The group went up to the roof to meditate, unaware that an agent of Darkness witnessed two nearly identical Ravens.

_Grand Darkness needs to hear about this!_

But, Edward felt his mate's distress as well and he said, [You are the light of my life, Raven. As I kind of understand it, I would be in a coma for a while and while I hope that the link stays online, it may not, but, the first thing to come back should be the link. I will need you to stay strong. I may need you to pull me back from the edge of death itself. You are my anchor and since we met, you have been that anchor when I need one. Go and meditate as your counterpart likely suggested and both of you: Keep your mental shields up! They are waiting to begin, so, I will sign off for now. Remember that I love you very much.]

She couldn't reply, though, but, the other Raven said [You make sure to come back! Your wife is very distraught right now. She'll be fine, though. And, I know that she loves you very much. Starfire says 'May X'Hal guide your footsteps and watch over you.']

[Give her my Thanks,] Edward said.

He severed the connection and said to Grand Earth, "I am ready." He reached deep down into his very soul and braced himself for what must be and what should have been at his hatching.

The Circle all nodded, and soon, they all closed their eyes. Earth was the only one who did not, and he raised his head, taking a deep breath. Suddenly, his body began to glow. His body began to crystalize, and soon, he looked crystal clear. "Oh Earth, grant Kiinnum the strength he needs! Fortify his body, that while durable, is like a glass cannon! Fortify him, and allow his weapons to no longer be as harmful to him as they are to the enemy!" With that, the Earth Dragon began to unleash a breath weapon unto Edward. While there was a significant discomfort from the initial contact, Edward could feel... stronger. Stronger than he had ever been. He could feel his muscles tightening, growing, even if it was minute. Finally, after a minute, Grand Earth stopped, and allowed the blessing to dissipate, with little to no signs of exhaustion.

Fire stood next, allowing his wings to spread wide. Suddenly, they seemed to flicker and radiate like fire, and soon followed the rest of his body. "Fire! Destroy what Kiinnum desires, and keep safe that which he cares for! Know that backlash will be unnecessary, as Kiinnum is not the enemy!" Like Earth, Grand Fire unleashed his own breath weapon, and allowed him to bathe in the flames. While they did not burn, they brought a warmth never felt before. They were quite hot, as Edward could see the ground beneath him become scorched, but Edward himself remained safe. After another minute, the flames died, and Fire stood down, while Water uncoiled herself. Her body became covered in frost, and suddenly, she spoke up.

"May the cleansing power of Water keep Kiinnum safe on the inside! May Ice be quelled at his thought, and soon be able to protect from the greatest flames of destruction! Receive my blessing now!" She soon began to breathe ice, freezing the ground around Edward. Black ice began to grow around him, and soon, it began to melt as well, forming a river. Edward, on the inside, could feel at ease. The excitement from the fire was suddenly gone, and he felt cool and calm.

Sol stood up next, and began to shine as he activated his own Blessing. "May Kiinnum be guided by our Light! May it shine on continuously in the times of doubt! From one source or many, the Light guides us all!" With that, Sol breathed Light upon his friend, and what appeared to be a full spectrum of color hit Edward. This time, Edward felt a sensation of righteousness, as if everything that he stood for and everyone he cared for... they were all the best kind of decisions he had ever made. Nothing he did was wrong, and nothing could stop him from making this world better. Just like that, the light faded, and now only two blessings were left.

Life stood up, and shifted her gaze upon Edward. "Life will always find a way, Child of the Circle. It is a matter of learning when to fight and when to stand down. I give you my blessing, so that your weapons will be more in control. With you... Life will always find a way." This time, she shot lightning out of her mouth. While it was brief, Edward could feel more alive than any other time. Everything was so vibrant, and it was all good. Soon, the sensation fell, and only one was left.

Grand Death stood up, looking down at Edward. He closed his eyes once more, and began to pray in his native tongue. "Oh, Death, show mercy upon this child of the First. Protect him from the embrace of your cold, unloving hands. Should this day be his last, know that he is loved." He turned to everyone. "Brace yourselves, Circle. My blessing may somewhat effect you as well."

The dragons nodded, while Solor looked confused. But before anyone could ask anything, Death took in a deep breath...

… and roared.

The audio attack was so loud and so high pitched that the sound reached a decible unrecorded. And Edward was hit full force by it. Suddenly, it was as if all of his health diminished. He could no longer stand, barely breathe... his vision became cloudy, and for the first time in thousands of years, Edward was afraid for his own life.

_Am... am I going to die? Is this what death feels like? Raven, I love ..._

Before he could say anything Death roared again, and just like that, Edward's vision faded, and he passed out. The link to his wife suddenly cut out, alerting Rachael of what happened, and now Edward could feel nothing while his body began to reset.

Solor looked down at Edward, and while he wasn't in as bad a shape, his ears were bleeding. He looked up at Death, who finished his audio attack, and began to rest. Sol's eyes began to glow, as he established a mental link between everyone. [Thus, Kiinnum's treatment is complete. Now, his body will repair itself, and when it is done, he will be able to use all of his powers to their fullest potential without any backlash. I have established a temporary link between us all, so that we may speak while our hearing recovers.]

[How long will he in this coma?] Solor asked.

[Hopefully, not too long,] Life said, [He is one of the strongest dragons we've seen and Life will find a way.]

[Death will have no hold over him, Starborn,] Grand Death declared, [This is temporary. His body will reset.]

[What about his memories and everything he holds dear?] Solor asked, worried that Edward would forget everything and everyone.

[His memory may be fuzzy for an hour or two, but, it will return,] Sol said, [I will open a tear to the Titan Tower where you can update his loved ones, if you desire.]

Solor went over and felt for a pulse. It was strangely quiet for several moments, but, there was a single beat every 30 seconds or so, barely alive. His respirations were extremely shallow and spread out. That worried Solor more than the bleeding from his ears.

[He'll want to see his mate when he wakes up. May I ask your perm...] Solor started to ask.

[We will allow this,] Grand Earth said, [Sol, if you would open a Tear?]

Solor was stunned that the Circle would allow a mortal to enter Lair, but, as Sol opened the Tear to the Tower, he said, [Thank you...for this and for restoring my title.]

He stepped through and back to his mortal home.

He saw Rachael trying to hold her emotions in check and not really doing a good job. When the link snapped, the mental backlash was as bad as when Trigon snapped it before.

Again, she was letting Garfield console her as Solor stepped forward.

"Rachael," he said, wincing a bit. His ears were done bleeding, but he still couldn't hear very well. "Come with me, please. Edward is still alive and we think he would want to see you when he wakes up. He's in what the mortal doctors would call a deep coma, but, he will wake up. It will help him to remember."

She looked at Solor and nodded. They stepped through the still open Tear and into the Circle's former home.

She went over to Edward as Sol said, "He will be OK, Ruuvak. His body is merely resetting itself."

Earth knelt and gently said, "Welcome to Lair. You are the first mortal to visit us in a long, long time."

She looked up and saw just how HUGE Grand Earth was. Solor's memories did not do him justice and her jaw dropped.

"Edward looks so tiny next to you," she said.

"Most of the dragons in Lair are a lot smaller than I am," Grand Earth said with a small chuckle, "Surely you know this."

"She does," Starborn said, "But, one can't help being amazed or fearful."

Raven caressed her mate's face and whispered, "Please...don't leave me. Come back, Edward..."

Solor decided that Edward would need to be somewhere safe where he could recover. And while they were in the center of Lair, they could not do anything to cover him at this location. "Rachael, I will carry both you and Edward to my cave. There, we shall allow Edward to recover. I will make sure not to injure him."

"That is... very kind of you, Solor", she said, though her focus was still on Edward. Edward was still in a rather large form and, for the first time, Rachael used her powers to morph Edward back into his human form. The effort drained her a bit, though.

"Return quickly, Starborn", said Life. "We will repair the damage to your ears and begin your first lesson with transformation while Kiinnum is recovering." Solor nodded, and shifted to his larger dragon form, gently picking up Rachael and Edward. Then, with a gentle lift off, he began flying towards his cave, going at a steady pace so that Edward would not have any injuries while he's unconscious.

Needless to say, the Circle were impressed by Rachael's powers. They didn't know that she could, in an emergency, access Edward's shapeshifting powers. As he wasn't physically injured, she knew it would be OK.

**[Hours Later]**

Little to no change had occurred as Edward recovered from Death's blessing. His heartbeat was considerably faster, but other than that, there was no change in his complexion, and Rachael was sitting patiently, albeit somewhat worriedly, waiting for her husband to awaken.

Solor returned to the cave shortly after his training, and took a spot next to her. "He will recover. He is already doing better than earlier, correct?"

"Yes, he is. I won't be happy until I can hear his voice, though." Rachael sighed a bit. "I... I want to know what it was they did."

Solor looked away. "I am sorry, Rachael. You are one of my best friends, and the Raven I live with may be considered a sister in my eyes... but I cannot tell anyone. Not even Kreinyol." He sighed. "There is much I cannot tell you about my family, or my customs. Traditions may be changing... but I do not think my father will want to keep us in the spotlight for a long time."

"What do you mean?" asked Rachael.

"You saw those reporters, and even some of the superheroes", said Solor. "Dragons aren't trusted very well. And while I would like to say that this will be how it goes from now on... I do not think that we'll be here after the war is over."

"That's not what Edward would want," Rachael said, "He hid from our world's humans for most of his life. You know this, though from your time with us. When he first realized that maybe humanity was ready for a dragon in their midst, he rejoiced. He had made it through a time when had anyone seen what he is, they would have tried to kill him. To see others like him has made him so happy inside that it's surpassing what I know about emotions. And, it would break his heart to know that when all this is done that the Circle may no longer want to interact with us. To the people here, you will be frightening for a while. Edward had that same problem when he was forced to reveal what he is. It took several incidents where he stepped in to help save lives to gain humanity's trust."

"Humans will think that we want to rule them," Solor said.

"Then, show them that your people do not desire to rule them and that you can be trusted. The battle was, like Edward said, a two or three front war: Against my father, against Darkness, and to win the hearts of humans here. If the superheroes can trust you soon, the rest of the people will come around."

As they were talking, though, Edward's heartrate picked up a little more and he took a deeper breath, getting Rachael's attention.

"Come on, babe," she said taking his head in her hands, "I know you're in there somewhere. Fight back!" The tears came and she didn't even try to stop them. Nothing in Solor's cave was breakable, luckily.

Solor was moved by the deep love she was openly showing and went to put an arm around her shoulder.

"Give him time," Solor said, "He will need you calm when he wakes up."

As the hours passed, though, it was obvious that Edward was going from a strictly unconscious state to more of a sound sleep as Rachael was starting to feel the link reestablish itself.

"Still out?" A deep voice asked. Sol had arrived to check on Edward and brought some food as well.

"I know you two ought to be hungry," he said, "And he will be starving when he wakes up."

Sol noticed that Raven was still emotional and said, "Ruuvak, I assure you that Edward will wake up. But, he will need at least a full day to recover his strength. It's his immortality that will bring him back and it will allow him to remember things after he wakes up. Don't be surprised though, if he doesn't remember you right away. It's a side effect of the Blessings. You're welcome to stay until then, but, we still need you to help your mortal friends."

"In fact," Solor said, "I would be honored if you stayed here tonight. I know that my cave is Spartan by your standards, and I think I can find something to..."

"I'll rest against Edward," she said, "And, thank you for the offer."

As they were talking, though, Edward was struggling to come out of his coma and heard voices that he was certain he should know, but, he couldn't place. One was a female's voice and that he felt close to for some reason. The others he knew on some level, so, he was curious. But, he also felt like there was another presence in his head, one that was very worried about him.

**[Dreamscape]**

_"Where am I?"_

_"You are between life and death,"_ a voice told him, _You will have to decide what you want to do, my love."_

_"Do I know you?" _He asked.

_"I'm Callisto,"_ the voice said and in his dream, she appeared as the angel he knew when she revived his first wife, "_The First called to me from our realm, my love. You have to decide to come with me into the afterlife or return to others who love you. Your duty is not done yet for the Destroyer of Worlds will be summoned very soon, and only you will be able to truly stop him."_

_"I am so tired of wars," Edward said, "Yet, I am torn. I want to be with you and Paula so much, yet, I do not want to abandon Raven. I want to see an end to fighting, yet, if I do not fight this war, how can I enter the afterlife with a clear conscience, knowing that if this Earth falls, the entire universe here falls."_

_"Your heart is always in the right place, Linus, my love, and you always try to do the right thing for the people you love," Callisto said, "You did me proud when you and Paula were married, and, I was there when you were raising your son in spirit. When Celesta claimed Paula, I, too, mourned after I escorted her to her well-deserved reward. When you met the witch and fell in love, I rejoiced with Paula. When you and her married, we celebrated with you and your friends."_

_"What should I do?" he asked._

_"Linus...in your heart, you know what you must do," she said, "But, there is someone else here."_

_"Paula?" he asked._

_"No, Kiinnum," he heard a female dragon saying, "I am Moonlight, and we met in Starborn's mindscape."_

_"I remember you," Edward said, "You were his sub-conscience's avatar."_

_"Your duty to your people is not done," she said gently, "Without you there to lead them, the darkness will win. I am so sorry that I have to ask you to return to the living. But, you will know peace for a while when this is over. Your true people and the humans you also love need you. Also, the First said that Death will not claim your mother for many more years. You will get a chance to get to know her, and, when it is her time, bring her home. Bury her near my spot. Go back to your beloved Ruuvak..." The images faded away._

[Ohhh, my head!] Rachael heard.

She let out a startled 'Eeeep!" and jumped back as if shocked, right into Sol!

She looked deeply embarrassed and stammered an apology.

Sol smiled warmly, though, immediately forgiving the contact with his very person.

"THE LINK IS WORKING AGAIN!" she exclaimed.

"Talk to him," Sol said, helping her to her feet, "No need to apologize for anything. The cause is sufficient."

[Edward?] she called out, [How do you feel?]

[Like I died,] he said, [I feel so … weak! So helpless.]

She relayed what he was saying and Sol nodded, "It's to be expected. Tell him to sleep and you will be there when he wakes up. It may take a while for even him to recover, and to expect to be sleeping and resting. The Circle will ensure his safety, though."

She relayed the message through the link to Edward, who grumbled, [I'm glad I only had to do that once. Tell Starborn: "You're damned lucky Grand Death didn't use that roar on him. Dying is NOT fun at all. Sweetheart...I was so...so...]

[It's all right, my love. You're safe now. I know you were so frightened. You faced down my father without fear. But, you have learned to fear death. It proves that for a while, you could die. But, you came back,] she replied.

[I saw my Callisto,] he said, [And Solor's mother as well. I know where my duty lies, Raven. And, you have your duty as well. You've been a wife who does her duty to me without asking, as well as part of the Titans' extended family.]

[My duty is with you right now,] she objected, [Solor invited me to stay here.]

[Wait...You're in Lair?] Edward asked, stunned, [I'm speechless. I didn't want to change their culture, hon. It was never my goal.]

Once the message was relayed, Solor shook his head. "It is not a culture change, my friend. Humans are allowed into Lair... but only on invite. And a human has to have done something to earn that honor... and seeing as Rachael has been your anchor through your darkest times, it was only natural that she would get that invite."

Sol smiled. "The last human that was invited was a strong human warrior that saved one of Life's children. He was allowed to enter, and given a very powerful artifact in return. I don't know if you know this, but the bit about dragons being greedy... that's partially true." He scratched the back of his head. "We do carry some valuable items... I'm sure you've heard of the Holy Grail?"

"No way... you guys have the Holy Grail?" Rachael asked, shocked.

"Indeed", said Solor. "It is too dangerous to be allowed into human hands, so we kept it." He then shook his head. He looked down to Edward. "But enough of that. Edward needs to rest, and I need to practice my transformation skills."

Racheal relayed the message again, and after a moment, confirmed that Edward had fallen back asleep. Solor stood up, stretching a bit. "I think I'd better get to work. Rachael, you're free to use my cave until you feel ready to return to Titan's Tower. I'm going to be busy, so I may not see you for a while. And in case I don't... could you tell Kreinyol that I'm still thinking about her?"

Rachael nodded, smiling. "You know, you could come with me and tell her yourself."

Solor shook his head. "While I would love that... I can't go home. Not yet." He looked outside, frowning. "Not as long as Vilea is out there with her eggs. We have about two weeks left before the eggs begin to hatch... and I will do whatever it takes to stop her." With that, he took off, heading for the center of Lair to practice once again.

Rachael, now that she knew Edward was merely sleeping stepped out of the cave and looked at Lair for the first time and was in awe of the place. She saw dragons everywhere of all sizes. Some were flying through the air and many were on the ground. But, what caught her eye was the demolished volcano. She didn't get a chance to see it earlier due to her concerns over Edward's condition, but, with her mind more at ease and her emotions calming, she was able to take in the view.

"Grand Earth really did a number on their HQ," she muttered, "I wonder if Terra could repair that when this war is over, to thank them for their efforts. It would probably take both of them to rebuild the mountain."

With the link gone silent, she decided to meditate for a while as well.

So, that's what she did for the next hour. In fact, she didn't even see Sol as he left the cave after making sure that Edward was in fact in a deep sleep. Sol noted that Edward's heartbeat was close to normal and was breathing fine.

"I'm glad you're still with us, Kiinnum," he said quietly, "Get your rest, for we will need you to test your new powers very soon."

**[Dark Lair]**

Vilea had nested and had laid three black and bronze eggs already and was hoping for a few more to emerge as she settled down for a bit. Deep down, she knew it was a matter of time before the Dark Lair was invaded by the Light just to prevent her brood from hatching. They would be looking to avenge Starborn for one and prevent the Twilight dragons from hatching. She'd be damned if her eggs were destroyed just to keep them from summoning Trigon. Hence, there was the backup plan to take Raven and accelerate the prophecy. They needed all bases covered to summon Trigon.

Grand Darkness had eventually calmed down from the initial defeat and was looking at a map of the world to see which city he would attack to turn the humans against the dragons and how many it would take to accomplish that goal.

_Tokyo? It's got a large population and would remind them of that fictional Godzilla, but, this time, it would be for-real._

_Metropolis? It's guarded by that blasted Superman and he's strong enough to take down a lot of weaker dragons on his own and even our strongest would be no match if the Jump City aborted raid is any indication_

_Gotham City? It's got that Batman. He's no threat as his weapons are non-lethal anyway. It wouldn't carry that big of an impact to defeat and kill that Batman.  
_

_Central City? That's a thought, except for the Flash. From what the reports said, he's able to run rings around even our fastest flyers. But, it's also not a national capitol.  
_

_Jump City…no, we've shown our hand and the filth there are ready for a second attempt._

_Moscow is a thought. It would take a while for defenders to arrive there. Same with London, Paris or any city in the southern hemisphere. The scum would still be trying to think of a defense to us, and, that gives us the advantage for now. The dragons of Lair would have to deploy and that would take some time, enough to do a quick raid to destroy several important landmarks._

_Maybe Washington, DC? Take out that White House or their Capitol Building? They are going to make some sort of announcement and if we control the flow of that discussion by destroying their precious city, all the better. But, when will their President address the people? We have to take that risk. Washington, it is.  
_

Grand Darkness called his troops together and issued orders to attack Washington.

"Burn as many buildings as possible," he ordered, "Especially buildings like that white mansion and the white domed building. You will encounter resistance from the human scum military, so, it's open season on them as well. Hopefully, it will take a bit before Lair tries to send help. We need the mortals to distrust Lair and attacking this city may do just that. In fact, this needs to be a fast raid. Get in there, destroy what you can before help arrives, and get back here. We attack at daylight."

As he was talking, he had an unexpected report from one of his scouts.

"So, there are two Ravens now?" he said after reading it, "That means that the hybrid brought his mate as well. That makes him a Breed Traitor in the eyes of the Circle. Why are they allowing this? And where is that hybrid anyway? Should I send someone to Lair to check? And if I do, do I send a sacrificial lamb or someone stronger? And, what about my missing dragon? Or should I say captured? Something tells me that he might have been convinced to talk. He's not very strong, either, if memory serves. I'm glad he doesn't have any useful information, in case he did talk.

"If we get him back, I'll let Vilea redeem herself...by doing what she does best."

**[Titan Tower]**

The mood in the Tower was somber. The last they heard from Rachael was that Edward was still out cold, but, recovering from his treatment. She would hang out in Solor's home until he woke up.

But, as they watched the big TV, the President of the United States was announced. Robin started the DVR as Edward, when he recovered, would want to see the video.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States," the announcer intoned.

"My fellow Americans," he said, "Yesterday, we discovered that the creatures known as Dragons are not figments of an overactive imagination or stories from folklore, or even the world of video games and movies, but, that they are real.

"As you know by now, a battle erupted near Jump City, California between dark colored dragons and what appeared to be a defense force of several other dragons assisted by the Justice League, the Doom Patrol and the Teen Titans, who appeared to have won that fight.

"We have since learned during the press conference that we all watched that this was the opening battle in a new war between different dragon races that has brought the world's superheroes together as well as visitors who claim that they are from another universe. At the risk of sounding unsure of what to do next, I am inviting representatives of this alternate universe to the White House as well as representatives of the Justice League, Doom Patrol and the Teen Titans. I am hopeful that representatives of these dragons will also meet with me.

"It is the opinion of my advisers that, for now, we extend a flag of truce towards these Dragons as it was obvious to all that they were fighting to protect the Titan Tower with a defensive force protecting Jump City. I am inviting the one known as Edward Barnes to meet with me as well, as it was also obvious he was commanding the non dark dragons and directing placement of the flightless dragons. It is imperative that we know about this Trigon threat. How serious is it? Is there a defense? We do not know, and until we do know this, I urge everyone to stay calm and carry on about their business. I am hopeful that the intentions of these dragons is peaceful towards us, though. But, if their intentions are not peaceful, I assure you that we will not go down without a fight, my fellow Americans.

"But, we must also prepare, so, I have decided to place Patriot missile batteries around Washington, DC and ordered 24/7 patrols over the nation's capitol as well as at vital American cities. Again, I urge you to remain calm during this crisis."

"I have also been in contact with Congressional Leaders on both sides of the aisle and there is a sense of unease, but, they are willing to wait and see what the results of the emergency summit are."

"I am asking our allies to not take any action at this time, and urge our enemies to show restraint should these dragons appear overhead. I realize that each country has the right to defend itself from attack, and I would not seek sanctions should any country, friend or foe, be forced to defend against these dragons

"Thank you, and God Bless America." The picture was replaced by the Presidential Seal and Robin stopped the DVR.

"Try to call Rachael," he said, prompting Victor to try to signal her. However, the signal was not getting through to Lair due to the distance involved.

"No go," he said, "The signal's either blocked or not strong enough to get through. We'll have to wait and see."

**[Three Hours later]**  
**[Lair - Solor's cave]**

Solor had returned looking like he was exhausted and saw Rachael resting near Edward, so, he tried not to disturb them as he went to his old hearth. Next thing he knew, he was being shaken awake by Rachael.

"Solor?" she said, "I'm sorry to rouse you."

"It's all right," he replied, "How is Edward?"

"Well his vital signs are back to normal, finally," she said, "He's sleeping so deep that I can't even sense his dreams, except for some flashes here and there."

"Your bond has deepened, then," Solor said, "We might have to consult the Circle on this, if you don't mind."

"It's still normal," Rachael said, "But, I can see that some things have changed. He looks more powerful, even in this form. I wish someone could tell me, though. Don't I have a right to know as his wife?"

"Indeed," Sol replied, coming in, "I can't tell you everything, but, the short version is that each one of us in the Circle activated our Blessing and gave Edward our own blessings. When he is done resetting, he will be far more powerful then all of us combined and will be able to use his breath weapons without any backlash ever again. In fact, we may have to retrain him in the use of his abilities, especially his strength and intensity of his weapons, lest he accidentally harm innocent beings."

Rachael absorbed the information and while not totally satisfied, she figured it was not in her best interest to ask about the process further, a fact that Sol noticed.

"We will not object if he tells you what he experienced, though. In fact, it may help him in mentally processing the changes. Thing is, he will be as strong as Grand Earth, maybe stronger. You saw what happened to our own Lair and that was Grand Earth merely standing up."

"I noticed, even from here," she replied, "We will owe the Circle a major favor when all is said and done. I think I can prevail upon Terra to help rebuild the mountain. Both of them actually."

"I shall discuss it with the Circle," Sol promised, "I would not mind having it whole again, but, it is very far down the priority list. Also, they may want a new location anyway, one without Darkness there."

Edward stirred a little and Raven reached out with the link, but, he was still quite asleep.

"He will need at least another 12 hours, Ruuvak," Sol said gently, "he's the only one to absorb a blessing from all of us. You may want to head home, but, you're welcome to stay, as Starborn said."

"I should at least head back and see what is happening," she supposed, "The US President was supposed to make some sort of announcement today."

"Do you need a Tear of Oblivion opened?"

"No," she said, "I can teleport without Edward. I'll be back in an hour or so."

She formed a bubble and disappeared. But, it wouldn't be long before she would return.

While she was gone, Sol asked, "May I ask you something?"

"I guess so, Father," Solor replied, a little wary.

"What was it like, living with the humans?" Sol asked.

"At first," Solor replied, "It was difficult. Some people, I wanted to rip their heads off. But, not to worry, I kept my promise as best I could. We're better than them in some ways, but, they've also changed for the better. Their superheroes are proof that they can change for the better. But, Darkness infects so many as well and we know that is not for the best of their race nor best for their survival.

"But, as I adapted and worked on redeeming myself, I learned that the group of people I hooked up with were forgiving. They sometimes angered me to the point I quit, yet, they looked for me and were worried about me. I ended up back with them. From what I understand, when Raven was possessed and opened that Tear, my Titans turned the planet upside down looking for me and called in favors from other superheroes as well."

"What about Kiinnum?" Sol asked.

"Well, we're obviously friends," Solor said, "At first, though, he had not said he was a dragon and well, I wasn't happy at being dumped there. He said he could stop me in his human form and certainly wasn't scared at all. He showed the same courage he showed earlier today. I tried to hit him with my flame and that got him to morph. We battled then and I got lucky with a bite to his wing. He got enraged in a hurry.

"But, what got me was after his taunt that included you and mother. I was already angry and that pushed me over the edge. He wanted to see the Blessing and he saw it, all right. After he deflected my attack and still being wounded, he and the other Starfire heard one of my deepest secrets about my exile in my sleep. When I woke up, I was still furious at him, but, he apologized. I did not expect him to do that. He's a powerful dragon, but, he taught me something: Even the most powerful can show their humility by saying 'I am sorry.' It was something that I lacked until then. But, I do not fault you or mother for because of my own pride getting in the way. Hearing Kiinnum ask me for forgiveness shook me out of my anger at him.

"After that, Kreinyol was also sucked away and I was able to tell her the truth about myself. When I told her I was a monster, she objected by slapping me as hard as she dared. She cried for me.

"But, after she and I calmed down, I carried her into the kitchen. You see, she was out cold after passing through the Tear and Edward raced to catch her. He caught her and flipped around, letting his ridges take the impact into the ocean.

"Well, I wanted to make her a banana, pickle and mint frosting pizza. Edward offered to help, and, we started to bond as friends."

"He said that he almost gave you a worse beatdown than Grand Death," Sol said without malice. He decided not to comment on the pizza toppings, though.

"He listens to her," Starborn said. "I am surprised that Death didn't use his attack... he was angry enough to kill me."

"You... don't remember, do you?" said Sol. He looked down, as if worried on what his son would do next.

"Remember what?"

"Death... he did use his weapon. He almost murdered you in cold blood. If... If I didn't hear him roaring... he would have used the second attack and..."

There was silence. Solor coughed a bit uncomfortably. "So... Grand Death did try to kill me..."

"I had to stop him", said Sol. "That was before I knew what happened. But what happened did not matter. You are my son, and I... I couldn't imagine you being dead. I would not allow it. That is why I recommended banishment, but, my choice of words was wrong. I was disappointed in you at the time, but, before we get into a useless fight again, I have regretted those and when I was talking to Cyborg, I realized how self-righteous I had become. And in doing so, instead of showing a father's forgiveness, we ended up hating each other. But, if anything good comes out of this war, it is that we have both learned how to forgive...Thanks to your friends."

Solor decided it was best to change the subject. "The mind-link between Edward and Rachael is more than that, I think. When I went to retrieve her, she was extremely upset. I think that they are soul-bonded as well, father."

"That is new," Sol replied after a moment, "I do not think there has been a case like this in recent history. Part of me wants to label him as a Breed Traitor, but, he has never been subject to our laws or customs. And, I see a deep love between them that nothing can break. The Circle is certainly not going to jeopardize things over his love for Ruuvak. And, I think once the Circle sees how you love Kreinyol and how she returns that love many times over, even Grand Death will come around. Then again, I know some members of the Circle have been holding their tongues about this situation.

"Maybe Kiinnum didn't intend to change our entire society intentionally, but, he has changed it. It makes me wonder...is this truly the will of the First? If it is, then, we have no right to question it further and we will learn to live with this new normal for our people and the human world."

They were surprised to see the subject of their discussion returning with an look of urgency on her face.

"We have to get Edward up somehow," she said, "The US President wants to see him, someone from the Titans and other superhero teams … and a representative of your people soon."

"He probably not going to be in any shape to travel for at least a few more hours," Sol said, "I think Starborn can be trusted to represent us as he's spent a lot of time with humans and I see has forgiven them for the past."

Raven looked at her husband and opened the link.

[Edward? Sweetheart, I need you to try to wake up soon,] she said, [We need you, now!]

The reply was a snore from Edward though.

She sighed and tried again. Still had no luck.

"Blast!" she said, "Guess we wait."

"Perhaps not", said Solor. "I know words are powerful things, especially against Edward... while he is strong, he is easily swayed by words directed at those he care about." He stepped close to Edward.

Then he smacked the elder. Hard.

"YEOW-WICH!" came the sudden roar. "WHAT IN THE BLUE HELL WAS THAT FOR!?" He grabbed Solor and almost threw his host into the wall before deciding not to and released his brother-in-arms.

"I thought you said you were going to use words against him?" deadpanned Sol.

"Payback", said Solor, although he was shaking his hand. "Before I was found by Raven and Terra, he made me bite my tongue. He's had that coming." He then smirked. "Besides... now we know he's more durable. I hit him as hard as I could. That would have done significant more damage without Earth's blessing."

"Har har hardy har har", said Edward sarcastically, holding his head as he tried to rub away the pain. "I forgot how funny you are, Starborn. Don't ever try that again, though. I will not be responsible if you get your ass kicked."

"Shut it, Old Timer. We need to talk to you." Solor then smiled apologetically. "I am sorry for hurting your husband, though, Rachael. It was the only thing I could think of to wake him up."

"Just... don't do that again", she replied, obviously not amused. She wanted to toss Solor into a new dimension and probably would have if it wasn't the middle of a war.

After relaying everything to Edward about what the President said, Edward crossed his arms in thought.

"This is a problem," Edward said, "I am not at full strength and I was having a nice dream, ya moron!" He sighed, "Whatever. There is still a problem. The President is on the fence about us and it's up to us to get him on our side, and quickly. Those missile batteries can take down a younger dragon and several fired at once would have given me a hard time.

"Who will represent the Dragons, Grand Light?" Edward said.

"Starborn will," was the reply.

Edward raised an eyebrow, "That's unexpected, but, logical. Rachael, I assume you will represent the Titans, but, who will represent the Teen Titans?"

"I would recommend that she represent both groups," Sol said, "If she is to lead the resistance from the mortal side, I feel that she should be trusted with this."

Edward thought about it and nodded, "Agreed. I trust her with my life, so, this will work. We still need someone from the Justice League and Doom Patrol, then. We'll have to see who they decide on. I have a hunch it will be Superman and probably Mento."

"As long as it's not Beast Boy," Starborn said.

"Which one? The native one here who is still a bit immature or the one from my world who has five more years of maturity and experience under his belt?"

Solor gave him a look that said, "Which one do you think I'm talking about?"

"Ok, ok," Edward said, "I get the point. I might trust the Beast boy from my home, especially since Terra has gotten him to mature. But, the one here isn't at that point, just yet. Give him a year that we do not have, I would not object.

"But, I have one question: Who is the President here?"

"Same as in our world," Rachael said. That got a facepalm move as Edward was not fond of the President.

"Hon, we have to deal with him regardless. Maybe he's different here?" Rachael asked.

"One can only hope, I'm not fond of President Obama back home." Edward replied, "Hope you have a good suit, Starborn. One does NOT go into the White House in a muscle shirt and shorts. Push comes to shove, Raven opens a Tear back to my universe and I buy you what you will need."

"We still have some of your money," Starborn said, "Robin insisted on saving that for an emergency."

"You have money?" Sol asked.

"A considerable sum, yes," Edward said, "I gave Starborn and Kreinyol a sizable seed fund when they were guests to make sure that they had civilian attire and to enjoy their first date." He chuckled at the memory of Kreinyol flying through the hall with Solor's communicator and talking her into giving it back.

"When they came back here, I gave them some cash as a going away present. Solor tried to refuse it, she snatched it up saying that it might come in handy."

"And how did you expect Starborn to pay you back?" Sol said.

"Just treat his girlfriend right," Edward replied, "I didn't want them worried about that trifle. Considering how they are emotionally closer than ever...Money well spent and I consider it repaid, with interest."

"Something else the humans taught you?"

"Nope, it's my nature, Sol," Edward explained, "I do that for people I care about. Sure, we have our differences, but, I am fine with that. He's young and brash at times...and borderline disrespectful to those who can seriously whip his ass...Payback? Yeah, right. Had I been serious, that Three Stooges move would have really hurt. Careful, prankster...I can help your girl set up the Instalube 9000 where you'd never see it coming. Beast Boy would love seeing that."

"You wouldn't dare..." Solor said as Rachael giggled. Sol was totally lost.

She explained things to him and Sol broke out in a warm laugh, "I would have paid to see that one. My son, playing practical jokes..." That garnered a blush from Starborn followed by his serpentine tongue being stuck out.

"So, how did you manage to..." Sol started to ask to see Edward make the motion to get Starborn to bite his tongue again, but, stopped before he actually did.

"That's how," Edward said, "I didn't have the heart to try that now, in case my strength was too much. As I feel stronger, though."

"That's good to hear," Sol said as his son looked relieved that Edward was nice about it.

"How much do you weigh?" Edward asked his host.

"A lot," was the answer, "Probably 225 tons at full weight."

"May I try something, Grand Light?" Edward said, respecting that Sol is the Light of the Circle.

"Sure," Sol said, getting Solor's jaw to drop.

Edward reverted to his mini-dragon form and Rachael said, "Oh, Azar! Edward, you are far more muscular than before!"

He looked and all he said was, "Wow!"

He picked Sol up off the ground without even a grunt of effort and lifted the Light of the Circle over his head, then, set him back down just as gently.

"I would have had difficulty before," Edward said, "This time, it was like lifting 15 pounds. I wonder if Grand Earth would be willing to let me try to lift him."

"You'll have to ask later," Sol said, "We need to see about your breath weapons as well. But, I am impressed already. The solders will actually be afraid of you."

"I want them to be somewhat afraid, but, not to the point of being absolutely terrified," Edward said after a moment.

"But, we're off topic," he said after a moment, "We need to meet with the others at the Tower before going to DC. Rachael, would you head back to the Tower and contact the President? Tell him we'll be there first thing in the morning, please. Solor and I will be there within a couple hours. I need to beta test my enhanced powers more. Let the Doom Patrol and Justice League know as well."

Solor looked down at his claws, and Edward noticed the look on his face. "What is it, my brother?"

Solor looked up, then back down. "Um... as much as it is a diplomatic event... I would like some time to explore the place. With Kreinyol. She and I have never been to the capital, and I've heard of all of the memorials there. I want to go... and honor the warriors who died for what they loved. I would like for Kreinyol to come with me."

Sol looked at his son, surprised. Years ago, he would never even consider giving a human memorial the time of day. Now he was asking to go to see all of them, and give his respect to the warriors. Sol smiled warmly. "I do not see any problem with it. As long as Kreinyol understands she is not the Teen Titan's representative, then she is allowed to accompany you. I assume this is alright with you as well, Ruuvak? Kiinnum?"

Rachael and Edward both nodded. After all the time that Solor had spent avoiding his girlfriend and affecting her powers, there was a serious need for them to spend some quality time together.

"She's still a Tamaranian Princess and if we are unable to stop Trigon here, Tamaran would eventually fall. She would represent Tamaran," Edward said, "But, I see where Starborn's coming from. Hopefully, there will be time to allow for some tourist activities.

"You guys go on ahead, then. I'll meet you at the tower in a couple of hours. Starborn, make sure to stay in contact with the Titans, please. Have Kreinyol do the same. That way, if something does come up, we can contact each other.

"Make sure that she has something nice to wear to the White House, please."

Sol opened a Tear of Oblivion and Rachael and Solor jumped through it.

"Are you up to testing your weapons?" Sol asked.

"Might as well," Edward replied, "I could have used some extra sleep, though. But, I do feel refreshed. I don't know if I'm ar my new strength levels, though."

"Come with me then," Sol said and the two dragons took flight.

"We set up a test range while you were recovering," Sol explained, "Don't be surprised to see a lot of dragons showing up to see the new you, though. They will be curious."

"They won't see much, though, if they are all averting their eyes," Edward noted, "I get that it's a sign of respect, but, part of that respect, in my view, is actually watching."

They flew on for a while and finally arrived at a test area. The rest of the Circle were there, having seen Sol and Edward flying together.

Edward flew up to Grand Earth's level and said, "Thank you."

The result was a smile, "You're welcome."

He did that with the other members of the Circle, including Grand Death, but, he got an extra thanks...for not killing Starborn and not enforcing that idiotic Breed Traitor rule. Grand Death was surprised to hear that, though. Not many thanked him for sparing a life or waiving an otherwise hard rule.

_I wonder if Sol or Starborn told him... I had better keep quiet about that. No need to tell him now while I'm still on the moral fence in his eyes, _Death mused.

He landed and Sol said, "We need you to destroy the targets. Each one is marked with the weapon you will need to use, and at your full power. Do not hold back. Today is untimed, but, other tests will be timed to see how quickly you can switch weapons. Later will be tests of strength and endurance, but, for now, let's give the offensive weapons a run through."

Edward looked at the course and smirked, "Shouldn't be a problem."

The first one called for flame and Edward's spine lit up with a brilliant red that was almost blinding. Edward filled his lungs and opened fire. The first thing he noticed was that his mouth stayed cool, yet, the heat was more intense than he ever felt. The target was turned to slag within moments, a glowing liquid on the ground. The assembled dragons roared in approval. There were several that had gathered and more on the way

The second one called for ice and that caused Edward's spine to glow blue as the power built up and when Edward unleashed that attack, again, no backlash at all as his mouth maintained a normal temperature. The target was coated in a heavy layer of ice that was also dripping with liquid oxygen.

"Damn," he said, "not even the slightest bit of discomfort! I wouldn't touch that, Dragons!" He had noted that the area was filling up.

The third target was obviously for lightning and Edward's spine lit up to a blinding white light with out the power flashing between the plates, but, what emerged was easily 25 times stronger than what he used previously. The bolt blasted the target apart and arced to the iced over target, shattering that one as well. The thunder created echoed across the entirety of Lair, getting the attention of the other dragons.

When the sound died down, Sol said, "Most impressive, but, there's one more test we want you to take and that is the Blessing of Light. Starborn said you learned how to use that in his universe."

"Won't that exhaust me?" Edward asked.

"That's what we need to find out," Grand Earth said, "You have been blessed with all of our abilities and, while we think that you can use the Blessing without the same exhaustion that plagues Starborn and other dragons, we'd like to be sure."

Edward reached deep down and closed his eyes. When they reopened, they were glowing white as his entire body flickered like a light bulb and then shone as bright as a sun, forcing the Circle to avert _their_ gaze to protect their vision. Edward inhaled and instead of a normal breath weapon, a beam of light shot forth that slammed into a much thicker, heavier duty target. It did not matter, the target had a hole blasted through it leaving the edges of the hole highly polished.

The effect faded a moment later and Edward said, "Ooooh, shit! I do not believe it and I saw it with my bare eyes."

"Believe it," Sol said, "You are truly one of us now. Your power surpasses all of us now. Kiinnum, you have been given a great power and with that … "

"Comes great responsibility," Edward finished, "It's something I have always tried to live by and something that I strive for. It's something I will have to impress upon the leadership of this Country that we all believe in, regardless of clan (except Darkness)."

"How do you feel, though?" Grand Water asked.

"Surprisingly, not that tired, even after the Blessing of Light," he said, "However, to be honest, I may have absorbed the use of all your Blessings. That's how I got the Blessing of Light in the first place. But, the one blessing I hope I did not get, and I say this with the utmost respect, is Grand Death's blessing. I would not want that sort of power."

Grand Death nodded. "Seeing as you absorb energy more than anything else... I hope you did not inherit that power. It is borderline Dark. And many, despite how old and wise they get, can not resist temptation. If you do have it... then I am sorry that I cursed you with such a burden."

Edward replied, "If that happened, nothing I can do to rid myself of it. I will adapt and with my mate and dearest friends by my side, the temptation should be minimal. It will take a lot to overcome my own nature and training. If that happened, though, I will want additional training after this is all over, please."

Grand Death replied, "If that has happened, then, I will train you, as honor would demand no less."

Grand Earth said, "You should return to your Titan Tower for now."

Edward nodded and said, "Yeah, I'll be back in a couple of days." He teleported out and to the Tower.

Little did anyone know, they would be called into action within 24 hours...


	10. Visiting DC

**Chapter 10**  
**[Washington D.C. - One Hour Before Meeting the President]**

Solor had to admit - for a human capital, Washington D.C. was very pretty.

He had spent most of his time visiting the various monuments and enjoying the sights. And of course, no sight was prettier than the form of Kreinyol as she followed him. They were dressed as tourists for most of the day, with Solor wearing a black t-shirt with a pair of cargo shorts, sandals, and a black hat while Starfire was wearing a purple spaghetti strap top and jeans. They had arrived the day before, but it was late when they had reached their destination. At Solor's request, they got a hotel room with two beds, and spent their evening in the hotel room, contacting the Titans to let them know they arrived safely.

And of course, during the night, Kreinyol snuck into Solor's bed. Not that he minded, though. In fact, for the first time since his recovery started, Solor was at east with her being there as they snuggled together. They didn't do anything outside of that, though. But, for the first time in weeks, he was starting to feel happier. The love of his life was back to her cheerful self knowing that Solor was no longer afraid of looking himself in the mirror and seeing a traitor there. Solor had a few lingering issues, and Starfire knew that he was working through those as well. She knew that he was happy to be allowed back into his true home and that he and Sol were working on fixing their personal_ Rekmas._ It was something that, Starfire knew, Moonlight would greatly approve of.

As they looked at each monument, Solor could see the names of many dragons that had died while fulfilling the roles of soldiers. "Many of them were banished", he noted. "This one here, if I remember correctly, was branded as a Breed Traitor. I assume he still married the woman that he fell in love with. I wonder if he ever told her who he was..."

"He was very brave, to fight in a war that was not his own", said Sunfire. "Although I cannot say I blame him."

"He found something to fight for", Solor said, smiling at her. "If I were him... I probably would have done the same thing."

"Excuse me", said an elderly woman, surprising them. "You wouldn't happen to be Solor of the Teen Titans, would you?"

Solor nodded, looking at her. He didn't get any alarms from her, so he had to guess she was a human. "I am. May I help you?"

The woman shook her head. "No... I'm sorry for troubling you. But I would like to say... if it weren't for people... or in this case, dragons like you... I would never have married my husband." She smiled as she looked at the name Solor had pointed to. "He was strong, and always willing to fight for what was right. He told me everything about him before he was shipped out." She turned back to Solor, a tear in her eye. "Thank you... for protecting us."

Solor smiled sadly, and bowed his head. "I am sorry for your loss and thank you for your kind words, ma'am." He decided that she needed additional morale support and added, "If you would permit me, I would like to give you a hug." That surprised the elderly woman but, she nodded her assent. Solor gently embraced her and said, "Your mate was a stronger being for knowing you. I am sorry that he was cast out and I promise that his death in battle will not be for nothing. He fought for you, ma'am. May he Rest in Peace."

"When he is forgiven for wanting me, then, my husband will rest," she replied, "And, then, I can rest when it's my time to rejoin him. Thank you for your words of encouragement."

He stood up straight, and motioned for Sunfire to follow. "I hate to leave in a hurry, but it is almost time for our meeting with the President. Ma'am, please call me at the Titan Tower whenever you wish."

At this point, the two made it back to their hotel room safely, and quickly got changed. Now the two were dressed very elegantly. Solor had opted for a black suit with a purple shirt and white tie, while Sunfire chose a purple dress with a purple sports jacket to cover up her bare shoulders. When she stepped out of the washroom, completely ready for their meeting, Solor had to turn to hide his blush.

Something she noticed and smirked at. "Am I so beautiful that even when I am dressed like this, you blush?" she teased.

Solor stuck his tongue out at her. "Perhaps." He then stood up, showing his suit off. "What about me? It doesn't fit my style very well but... Kreinyol, you're staring."

Sunfire had the decency to blush, but smiled. "You look very nice. I have not seen you in a suit since you and Kitty went to the prom."

Solor smiled. "And I remember someone being very envious of our friend", he said, chuckling. What he didn't expect from her though, was for her to tackle him onto the bed.

"You promised you would not talk about that!" Sunfire said, blushing. "I acted like a clorbag that night... not very ladylike at all."

Solor smirked, and kissed her cheek. "Who said that I like ladylike girls? Besides, Kitten has turned into a nice law abiding person, right? You did see her at the Tower, right?" he teased. The two stared in each others eyes, lips about to meet...

... when the communicator went off.

Solor groaned, as Sunfire giggled at his exasperation. "Oblivion damn you, Edward", Solor groaned again, before gently sitting up so that Sunfire could get off of him. He then opened his communicator, fixing his tie and collar while Edward's face showed up on the screen. "I'm almost ready, Edward. You need not call and remind me where I'm going."

"Just making sure you're not distracted", said the elder, smirking. "After all, when I found out you two were sharing a room again, you could imagine me getting a bit worried."

"Worry was probably the furthest thing from your mind", Solor countered. "So, what's the plan?"

Edward's face became serious. "Well, out of all of us, I'm certain he has the most questions for you and I. So, we've got to be ready for anything. I'm gonna be honest; I'm not too keen on talking to him, but if this is gonna get people to cooperate with us and trust us, it's something we're gonna have to do."

"Give him the benefit of the doubt", Solor said. "He may be a counterpart to your President, but perhaps he will be openminded."

"I hope you're right. Anyway, we're gonna meet up with him in about thirty minutes. Don't be late."

"Sure thing, 'dad'", Solor said. "Believe it or not, this isn't my first political rodeo. Granted, last time I talked with any human officials was a prince back in the 1300's, but still. I will simply be honest while at the same time giving them information on a need to know basis. There will be questions I will not like answering, but I will simply be truthful about it."

"Well," Edward replied, "This isn't the 1300s, so, whatever you used then will be useless with the President. But, the other stuff you mentioned will work."

"Like I said, I will be truthful about things," Solor said.

Edward didn't look completely satisfied with that answer, but soon Rachael appeared on the screen. "I'm sure you'll do fine, Solor. We'll meet up with you at the White House. Afterwards, we're going to get some lunch. Would you like to go with us?"

"No, thank you", said Solor. "I already made plans. And besides, I'll have to escort Kreinyol to Titan's Tower before returning home."

Rachel smiled. "I understand. Rachael, signing off." The screen went blank.

Solor sighed, as he stood up. "Well, this is it. Are you prepared, Kreinyol?"

Sunfire merely nodded. "I am always the ready when I am with you, Boyfriend Solor", she said with a smile.

With that, the two headed for the home of the most powerful man in the free world.

**[White House - 30 minutes later]**

It was well into the debate, and if Solor had to be honest, things were not looking the best.

The President was very thorough with his questioning, starting with Superman and Mento, who had both opted to wear their uniforms seeing as they had secret identities to uphold, and right now he was finishing up with Rachael.

Edward mentally raised an eyebrow. In his universe, Barack Obama was not held in much esteem by the older Dragon. However, his counterpart here was completely different. He was asking good questions, listening to the folks with an open mind. Edward was starting to get the impression that maybe this guy could be trusted. But, Edward knew he was asking the softball questions of the native superheroes. Solor and he would get the harder ones.

"Thank you for being patient... Solar, was it?" asked the President.

"It is pronounced Solor, Mr. President, sir", said the younger dragon.

"My apologies. I didn't mean to be rude." The President gave a warm smile. "Now, I'd like to ask what your relations to humans are. For example, I've noticed you brought a rather beautiful young woman with you. Why is that?"

"Yes", Solor said, giving a nervous smile. That was a question he wasn't expecting. "W-Well, her name is Koriand'r of Tamaran, but you know her as Starfire of the Teen Titans. She is here representing her planet as well, since this threat will also consume her world should we fail to stop Trigon here."

"I see. And what is your relationship with her?"

Solor managed to fight back the urge to glare. "Starfire and I have been dating for almost a year now."

"That's very good", said the President, smiling. "It's nice to see young love, even on the battlefield. I am certain your parents are rather happy with you?"

"Yes, but not at first. You see, my customs are very different from yours. My father is now pleased with our relationship. My mother died a few years ago, though"

"Oh? I am sorry for your loss, Solor. Another question: How do you dragons go about choosing who to begin a relationship with?"

"Mr. President, I am not sure how this pertains to the threat."

Edward had to resist reaching over and smacking Solor. One typically didn't refuse a question from the President, but, seeing how this President didn't seem too concerned, Edward let it go.

"My apologies. I suppose my own personal curiosity is getting the better of me", he said, still smiling. "Well, I suppose I should get to the real questions. Tell me, Solor. Have any dragons ever held a position of power in human history?"

"I'm certain the answer will surprise you, sir", Solor began, starting to relax a bit. "None. From the very beginning, when humans began to learn how to speak and form governments of their own, my kind has opted to not take control of any governments or societies. The most we would do would be to advise the ones in charge. Using our own experiences and wisdom, we would try to impart key information to those in charge to try to make the world a better place."

"Then has your kind ever imparted their knowledge on people such as Hitler?"

Solor frowned at that. "I am not sure. But I can guarantee you that it was not anyone from our homeland that influenced him to do something so unforgivable. Race, gender, religion... it does not matter to us what you are. So, my people would never try to get someone to kill another unless it was for the betterment of the world. Let alone one of the highest death tolls in human history."

"Then you did nothing to influence World War II?"

"I did not say that. While I can safely say that there was no Dragon influence in such crazy notions as genocide, there was dragon influence in other aspects of life. We are noticed much more often than you think... just not where you expect it. Many camps that had not killed their prisoners, or many stations on the Underground Railroad, or perhaps my favorite being the Civil Rights acts of the last century... we influenced them. It was we that convinced the Nazis not to simply murder as many Jews as they can, and convinced so many people to let others go. It was we that hatched the path to freedom to Harriet Tubman, and the muse behind Martin Luther King Jr.'s works."

"So, your people have been at every turn of human history?" asked the President. "What about the performing arts? Technology? Are you saying you influenced them as well?"

"Yes. While we did not come up with many ideas ourselves, we managed to plant the seeds into young minds, and from there, it was human ingenuity that brought the mortal race to where it is today."

"Fascinating. So you would consider yourselves as teachers more than leaders?"

"In a way, yes. But granted, we are also soldiers, Mr. President." Solor lowered his eyes. "One thing to my people, no matter what conflict, is that the highest honor is to fight for what is right. I will admit, though, that sometimes our judgement can be clouded by pride and anger. In fact, that is part of how I met my friends, the Teen Titans, and Edward.

"A few years back, I was angered by something another dragon said about my mother. In my anger, I attacked, and was promptly banished for it. And over the years, I've mellowed out, but I can safely say I still have a long way to go when it comes to mastering my rage." He looked at the President and smiled. "No matter how angry I've gotten, though, I can safely say I have never harmed an innocent human. Scared them, yes, probably. But I have never hurt anyone that didn't do anything wrong."

The President smiled. "I'll believe you on that. In fact, that was my next question. Now, why don't you tell me about these Dark Dragons? Why are they separated from the rest of your kind?"

Solor frowned at that. "Well... this happened a long time ago, so bear with me if I don't remember all the details, as I was not alive at the time. Many thousands of years ago, when humans first began dotting the world, the leader of the Darkness, whom we have named the Traitor, tried to convince the rest of the Circle to eliminate them. The Circle is a group of our leaders, and everyone disagreed with the Traitor. They then told him to stand down and pass on his title as Grand Darkness, to allow someone else to rule. He refused, and instead, months later, staged a coup against the Circle. Ultimately, due to manpower, he lost the battle, and was banished, as he could not be killed."

"Why is that?"

"The members of the Circle are immortal", said Solor. "In every sense of the word. The only way they can die is to allow their Heir to take their powers. So, today, after thousands upon thousands of years, the Traitor is still alive. And he will stop at nothing until this world is the Dark Lair for all beings of Darkness."

"How dangerous are the Dark Dragons?" The President asked.

"The older ones are very dangerous, sir," Solor replied, "had we not been there to repel the attack, they might have not only taken down the Tower, but, destroyed large swaths of Jump City. We were taken by surprise as well."

"Interesting," The President said, "I may have other questions later on, but, I want to move to Mr. Barnes for a bit, if I may."

"Of course, Mr. President," Edward said, "How may I serve you?"

"In your press conference, you said that you are from another universe," the President said, "How many dragons are there in your universe?"

"Mr. President, there are currently only a few. Myself, my half-human son, and my birth mother who recently arrived there the same method Solor ended up there," Edward said.

"Why aren't there more dragons there?" was the next question.

"Sir, I was actually born here, in this universe about 3,000 years ago," Edward said, "I was born different from other Dragons. My mother, from what I understand, was desperate to have a hatchling and mated with several different dragons from the different clans, except Darkness as they were already expelled. I am a hybrid of the different clans, Mr. President. When I was very little, by dragon standards, the Dark Dragons heard about me and attempted a raid to capture me. The raid was turned back and I was banished to my universe, not as punishment, but, to protect me."

"And, in your universe, did you try to influence humanity?" the President asked.

"No, sir," Edward replied, "As I was the only one of my species there, I was forced underground by the 2nd century AD. I would move from village to village, sometimes in cities like Rome or London, moving on when I felt that people would get too curious as to my lack of aging. I had to allow humanity to develop normally.

"I do have some influence with humanity now, but, like the Dragon's government, I suggest and imply the best course of action, but, I will not force people to comply."

"You could have ruled, though?" the President asked.

"Yes, I could have, sir," Edward said, "I chose not to do that, though. Mr. President, I abhor slavery and had I chosen to rule the planet, humanity would have been slaves."

"Have you killed before?" the President asked.

"Mr. President, when there was no other alternative, yes, I have and will kill," Edward replied honestly, "However, I try not to use death as my first option. In a war where we both know, it is kill or be killed, then, I am less hesitant about killing the enemy. I have killed slave traders in the past. Some made the mistake of targeting a pregnant friend and triggered my wrath in the process."

"And, who is the enemy right now?" The President demanded to know.

"It is the Dark Dragons and Trigon the Terrible, Mr. President," Edward said, "Not the civilians nor the military of this world."

"And just who is this Trigon?" the President asked.

"My wife's father, Mr. President," Edward said, "In my universe, Trigon took over Earth, petrifying 99.999% of all life there. The only ones he did not petrify were the Teen Titans. Raven gave them all a portion of her powers and that protected them. It almost did not matter because after Trigon used Raven as the Portal, he removed her powers and reduced her to a child. She was rescued by Robin with the unlikely help of Slade Wilson. Trigon almost killed the Teen Titans and Slade who allied together against a much more powerful enemy, except Raven realized that she still had her powers and tapped into them to return to her rightful age and banished him.

"Mr. President, I say this with the utmost seriousness. The Dark Dragons will try to summon him using a Twilight Dragon. A hybrid of the daughter of the Traitor and...Solor. He was violated many, many times. If that happens, the fight near the Titan Tower will look like a schoolyard fight. It will be a nasty as hell fight, sir."

"What if they are unable to use one of these dragons?" the President asked.

"It only delays Trigon's arrival," Rachael said, "When I turned 18, he was summoned. The Raven of this universe is 16. The Dark Dragons are not waiting for that to happen and were hoping to take you all off guard."

"What can we do?" The President asked.

"Your defenses around the city are a good start, but, they will only be a delaying move," Edward surmised, "The Patriot batteries will knock down younger dragons, but, the older, stronger ones have excellent scales. Diamond hard, and unless the missiles hit a weak spot, it will likely take several to knock one out of the air. If there were to be an attack on a major city, I would respectfully recommend that the military do not press a counter-attack. They would be slaughtered in the fight. As this world is the same as mine, I can teleport to any city and start defending it until reinforcements arrive."

"And who commands the Dragons?" The President asked.

"Mr. President," Edward replied, "in battle, that would be me, however, I answer to the Circle. My species respects strength and I am one of the strongest ones currently, if not the strongest one. Due to my hybrid nature, I have the capabilities of all."

"And if you're killed?" the President asked.

"Not likely, sir," Edward replied, "I also have the immortality that Solor spoke of. It would take a lucky hit in an area of my body to take me all the way out, as I said at the Press Conference."

"Who would lead any human resistance?" was the next question.

"My wife, Mr. President," Edward replied, "She alone has the prior experience to help cope with Trigon with he is summoned having already been through this. While I do expect most of humanity to be petrified, as Rachael and Raven combined cannot protect all humanity, they would move to protect the superhero teams. The Dragons may have some magic to protect themselves. That, I do not know for certain. The Justice League, Doom Patrol and other independent superheroes will be based either at Titan Tower or the Justice League Watchtower."

"How would we know when Trigon if summoned?" The President asked.

"Assuming he holds true to form, sir," Edward replied, "the sky will turn blood-red, and oceans to lava. And, as I mentioned, most life will be petrified. Trigon eats souls as well."

The President paled hearing that one, "And you think you can stop him?"

"I did in my universe, Mr. President," Edward replied, "He made a second attempt but had me kidnapped first. The effort failed when his sons made a mistake and I escaped. In my own rage, I tore through his castle and we fought to the death. The battle destroyed his fortress, and killed his sons. I killed him in my universe, but, he implanted a seed in my Raven's mind. I went in there with the Titans. Trigon found out what happens when my anger is given full reign. Raven tried to capture me with her soul-self and declared that we were done. I shattered her attempt, shocking her into coming back. The Titans wisely moved for cover, knowing that I was passed rational thought. The remaining aspect of Trigon did not stand a chance in Raven's mind. After the battle, it took one of her embodied emotions to calm me down."

"And, what is to prevent that from happening here?" The President asked.

"Raven is my anchor, sir," he said, "As a telepath and empath, she knows my moods intimately and is one of the few who can get through and calm the storm. 99% of the time, I am in full control of my emotions. It's that one percent that my enemies will see."

"If you do not mind my asking, how large are you?"

"150 meters, Mr. President," Edward said, "In my universe, I rarely use that size. Like what happened in Jump City, people tend to freak out seeing a kaiju sized dragon in the air."

"How strong are you?" The President inquired.

"Probably close to Superman now," Edward replied, getting a raised eyebrow from the Man of Steel.

"Care to test that?" The President said.

"How?" Edward asked.

"Arm-wrestling," The President suggested.

"Not a wise move, sir," Edward replied, "With respect, the result would likely destroy your valuable taxpayer funded desk. If there was a place where when one loses can absorb the impact, I would be more than willing to go up against Superman in a friendly arm wrestling match."

"What is the President like in your world?"

"I do not like the guy, Mr. President," Edward said, "He's an arrogant ass. When Congress fails to move fast enough, the guy merely end runs around the lot of them with executive orders to accomplish his goals. He refuses to listen to anyone except himself, I think."

"Do you have relations with your White House, then?" the President asked.

"I do," Edward said, "But, like Solor alluded to, I suggest or imply a lot of times. But, there is also a difference: In my universe, I hold the rank of General. I'm technically retired there, though. When I am in that role, though, I know that I answer directly to whoever is the current holder of the Office of the President."

"And that is how you got your world to trust you?" the President asked.

"Partially, Mr. President," Edward explained, "In the mid-18th Century, I was partially forced out of hiding after I befriended a family who, at the time, had few survival skills. I found out why later on: They were exiled from their home as well as exiled from this century by an evil force. They allowed me to be myself for the first time in centuries and I realized that they would not try to kill me and that in their future, I could show the world, for the most part, what I am. There's still a few areas in very remote lands where I still have to be careful.

"But, it wasn't until 1889 when I was truly forced into the open. I was caught in the Johnstown Flood and the only way I could escape was by using my dragon form. Then, I was able to rescue many folks who would have died.

"Then, I had the misfortune to be in San Francisco in 1906. The quake was bad, and I had to revert there to help in SAR efforts. After that, the media at the time decided I was a good guy and that got folks to trust me.

"1912 put me on the _Titanic_, I couldn't prevent the collision, but, I was able to help evacuate the ship. Only a handful were killed."

"In this universe," the President said, "the _Titanic_ sank with the loss of over 1300 passengers and crew."

Edward shook his head sadly, "I am sorry for the losses. I wish I could go back in time and save those folks."

Superman said, "It is forbidden to interfere in human history."

"I know," Edward said, "Just because I can teleport through the time stream, doesn't mean I should. As much as I would love to go back and remove someone like Hitler from history, the paradox wouldn't be worth destroying existence. Stalin might have been far worse, for example."

As the conversation continued, though, something evil was coming to try to mess up the works...

**[Dark Lair]**

It was time, Grand Darkness decided. He would show the human world that Dragons should not be trusted.

"My children!" he called out, "Today, we tell the scum that Darkness shall rule. We must raid the human city called Washington, DC. Destroy their precious buildings. Take down their leadership and throw them into disarray."

The Dark Dragons opened tears and jumped through.

**[Oval Office]**

Edward happened to be looking out the bulletproof glass when the first tears opened up.

"Guys, we have a problem!" he said, "Incoming!"

"They have got to be kidding!" Solor said.

"Mr. President, we must get you to safety," Edward said as the Secret Service came in as well.

"Get the President, the Vice-President and whoever else you protect into safety," Edward commanded, "Initiate whatever code is used for continuity of Government. DC is under attack!"

Edward had no choice. As soon as the President was hustled out of the room, he morphed to his mini dragon size and that prompted everyone to get on in a hurry for the teleport.

As soon as they were clear of the White House, those who could fly got off.

Rachael was already on the communicator calling for backup.

"Get other Dragons!" Edward said.

By then, there were many Dark Dragons in the air and Patriot missiles were also flying and hitting various Dark Dragons. Some were shot down, others staggered by the explosions.

"Solor! You and Kreinyol protect the Capital Building, give cover to the lawmakers as they leave!"

They flew off as Edward enlarged to a different size and flew at the nearest Dark Dragon.

Edward slammed into the enemy and was surprised to see the Dark Dragon looking at him in shock and sudden pain. Edward's new durability had broken the Dark Dragon's leg.

"I'll kill you for this!" the dragon roared.

"You seriously do not want to do that," Edward said with a smirk and fired some lightning, stunning the Dark Dragon.

One Dragon was getting close to the Washington Monument, only to be intercepted by a teleporting Edward and Superman.

Both hit the Dragon with more than enough power to send that one off in a different direction.

Edward watched as that one went FAR to the southeast, probably heading for a nasty impact into the rural lands outside the DC metro area.

There were a couple Dragons trying to attack Solor and Edward teleported there and grabbing both, smashed their heads together and they fell, knocked senseless.

Another made a play for the White House, only to be hit by a Stinger fired by a Secret Service agent, but, to little effect. Until he was hit by a fireball! Edward shot that one instead of his flame breath.

"Well, that's new," he said as the enemy went down. Another made a bid for the Capital Building, but, ate a barrage of Starbolts from Kreinyol.

Superman was being dog-piled by several Dark Dragons, but to Superman, it wasn't that big of a hassle as he threw them off easily.

One Dark Dragon attacked Edward with flame breath, only to see an intense stream of ice not only canceling the flame breath, but, encasing the enemy's front half in a thick coating of ice!

Another saw that go down and yelled, "The hybrid's strength has multiplied! Hurry up!"

_A commander level Dragon!_ Edward realized and teleported to where the dragon was and wrapped around it.

"Get off!" the Dragon roared.

"Not a chance, Traitor," Edward said, "You want me off, you'll have to risk opening a Tear of Oblivion and put me right in the middle of the Dark Lair."

"Never!" the Dark Dragon said, "I'll kill you and make your friends watch. My friends will kill those you hold dear."

Edward felt his rage building, but, resolved to take Solor's words to heart and merely said, "That was your last mistake." He put the squeeze on as Solor realized that maybe Edward was about to make their mission to the Dark Lair somewhat moot. Solor smirked to himself, "Good going, Kiinnum!"

By then, Rachael and Raven had arrived with their respective teams and they joined the fighting. Also, other dragons entered the fighting, having been summoned by the Circle. That would have gotten a smile out of Edward, but, his attention was focused on the dragon he was attempting to capture, and, this guy was putting up one helluva fight. That was until he was slammed by a boulder thrown by Tara on one side of his head, and Terra smacking him on the other side. The fighting dragon went limp very quickly and Edward lowered his new prisoner to the ground where he was wrapped up in a stone prison.

"Thanks!" Edward said and flew off, seeing that one enemy was heading towards the Lincoln Memorial.

Solor, meanwhile, had already noticed the enemy heading towards the Lincoln Memorial, and intercepted it. "Don't even think about it, Traitor." He launched his Light attack, and easily fought off the Dark Dragon. Another soon attacked Starborn from behind, but thanks to his scales, he was easily able to shrug off the attack, and launch a counter. After a few minutes, more Dragons were surrounding him.

"Well... this could be bad", he said, sweating a bit. That was, until Kreinyol grabbed one by the tail and forced it onto the ground with a loud slam. The Darkness growled, and lowered his tail, forcing him to look her in the eye. "Mortal rat! You will pay for that!"

"No! Kreinyol!" Solor roared, his eyes glowing green. Suddenly, the fear for his own being was replaced with a new fear; the fear of losing the love of his life. Suddenly, he had no reason to hold back anymore. He let out a loud, Godzilla-like roar, and activated his Blessing of Light. "By the power of the Light, YOU WILL NOT HARM HER!"

With that, Solor began moving at incredible speeds. To him, the world looked like it was slowing down, while to everyone else... he seemed to be teleporting! He was moving so fast, that he would vanish into the air while he was moving!

"SOLOR! NO!" Edward roared, activating his own Blessing and teleporting. He realized that if Solor gave into his rage, the humans would not trust Dragons!

He emerged above Solor and grabbed him.

"LET ME GO!" Solor roared.

"No, I shall not," Edward said as he deactivated his Blessing, "You want the humans to lose trust in us? I am ordering you to stand down, Light Heir, and on the battlefield, by order of the Circle, I am in charge. Kreinyol is capable of defending herself."

The Dark Dragon looked at the scene in glee until Edward took a moment to wipe that smirk off the enemy's face with a tail strike to the enemy's head, stunning it for a moment.

Solor struggled, but, unlike before, had no chance of overpowering Edward.

"Solor," Edward said calmly, "Stop this. If you cannot control your rage because Kreinyol is also in battle, then, I shall relegate you to the defense of Lair. I do not wish to do that because you are a capable fighter, but, you've shown your weakness-"

"Edward, I am not angry."

Edward froze, looking at the younger dragon. "Wait, what?" His grip loosened a bit in surprise.

"I'm not angry." Solor looked at the elder, and for once, Solor's eyes were not glowing green, but pure white with Light. "I... I have to protect them. I need to save them. Let me go. Let me do my job. As the future member of the Circle... I can't just sit back and watch them attack humans." He sighed. "I'm sorry, my friend... but you're getting in my way." He soon began to shine brighter, and just like that, Solor shifted into a much smaller form all of a sudden, and slipped out of the stunned Edward's claws. He then moved to the next Dark Dragon, this time opting for his half-human form, and punched him squarely in the jaw. A satisfying crack filled the air, as the Darkness roared in pain, knowing his jaw was broken.

Solor began taking down his enemies, one by one, with very damaging attacks, thanks to his Blessing. However, the one thing he didn't do, to Edward's surprise, was kill them. Instead, he incapacitated them, broke their wings, their legs, their jaws and otherwise took care of business.

Edward looked on in awe, though. He had figured that Solor was furious, but, this time, he wasn't angry at all.

_The hatchling has gone from calling humans 'filth', to actively defending them. When this is over, I will apologize to him. He deserves that courtesy._

[I'm as stunned as you are, babe] Rachael said [There was a moment of intense anger, but, it transformed into the resolve you see here. The Solor we saw in his memories is dead. Even Raven is stunned.]

Superman, Mento and the other human superheroes were stunned by the fact that Solor was still going at it, no sign of his Blessing dying down. Darkness was likewise stunned and eventually, the ones that could still fly retreated once again, falling back to a defensive position before they opened up their Tears and hauled ass away from the scene, the injured Dark Dragons risking greater injury by retreating as well.

Solor finally deactivated his blessing...more like it finally drained Solor and he fell from the air, only to be caught by Edward.

"Rest, Solor," Edward said, "We will discuss this later on ... But, I am proud of you. I am sorry, I misinterpreted your motives."

"I know", panted the younger dragon. "And I forgive you, brother. Now... I'm tired... I'm... sorry... for worrying... you..."

Solor's eyes closed then and Edward gently set him down. Kreinyol and the others landed and gathered around. "Sleep well, my brother," Edward said, "I forgive you as well."

"He exhausted himself," Edward explained, "He'll be fine in a few hours. It's a side effect of using his most potent attack."

Kreinyol took a hold of Solor, smiling. "I am very happy... I think he has finally gotten over his past." She took him into her arms, holding him close. "I will keep the eye on him, Brother Edward. If anything tries to harm him... they will have to deal with me first."

Edward nodded, and looked to the human soldiers, who had arrived in time to see the Dark retreating. They had been told to hold back, in case they were needed, but from what they saw, they weren't. "This is what we saw, right?" asked one of the soldiers. "The... glowing one?"

"Yes", said Kreinyol warily. "May we help you?"

"Just..." The soldier didn't know what to say. Normally, he'd be mad that a civilian, an illegal alien to boot, was taking a fight to an enemy that he wasn't prepared for. "It... makes me feel weak. But... I'm really glad that you guys were here." He stood up straight, bringing his hand up, and shouting as loud as he could, "SALUTE!"

With that, the entire troop all followed suit, giving a salute to Edward, Rachael, and everyone else. While in their world, they were only vigilantes, they deserved the honor after today's battle. The General walked forward, offering his hand. "Thank you... all of you. I have the coordinates where the President is being transported to, if you would like to continue your discussion. Although I believe that point is moot now. If that display meant anything, I'm certain the American people can start trusting every Dragon but the Darkness."

Edward replied, as he shook the two star's hand, "I think that the President of the United States deserves the opportunity to finish a discussion. However, Solor is unable to continue the discussion. That power you saw him using has exhausted him and he will be out until later today."

"We can transport your friend to the hospital," the general said.

"Actually, taking him to the hotel they are staying at would be good," Edward said, "A hospital would not know how to treat a dragon anyway."

Kreinyol looked like she might not allow it, until Edward said in her language, "It's all right, Koriand'r. I trust them."

She nodded and stood aside. The solders gently picked Solor up and placed him in a transport.

"I shall go with them," Sunfire said. They left a few moments later.

"In fact, we all will go," Robin said, referring to his team.

"General," Edward said, "we owe it to the President to return, if he has the time."

"For you, I do not think he'll mind it this once," the general said, "If you'll follow me, sir."

"Name's Edward, General," he said, "No need to call me sir unless you want to."

Edward, Rachael, Superman and Mento fell in.

"Should I go with you?" Koriand'r asked.

Edward thought for a moment and shook his head, "That's OK, Star. We shouldn't be that long, even if the Presidents wants to debrief us."

"Why would he want to see you in your underwear?" she asked innocently.

Everyone laughed at that one. It was an unintentional bit of levity as Edward and Rachael blushed heavily.

They got into the military vehicle and were taken to a secure underground bunker and were escorted to the President.

"Please, have a seat," the President said, "That was a masterful piece of work, Mr. Barnes and on behalf of a grateful nation, thank you for defending our national treasures. You have proven your intentions very well."

"It wasn't planned like that, sir," Edward said, "However, you're welcome. Glad to be of service."

"Where are Solor and Starfire?" the President asked, "I would like to thank them as well."

"Solor used what is called the Blessing of Light, Mr. President," Edward replied, "It's an enhanced state of being that amplifies a Light Dragon's abilities. However, there is a drawback to that. It exhausts the user if overused. Solor passed out after forcing the Dark Dragons to retreat and I asked that he be taken to the hotel where they are staying."

"I see," the President remarked, "Where are they staying? The United States will pay for their stay."

Edward told the President and he picked up his backup phone.

"Get me the manager of the Washington Hilton," he said, "I'll wait on the line."

It took a few moments to get the manager on the line and when that happened, the President said, "This is the President. Do you have a couple of the Teen Titans staying there? Excellent. Please mail their bill regardless of expenses to my chief of staff at the White House when their stay has ended. The United States will be picking up their tab. No, I do not care how much...all expenses will be paid...I suppose I can do that." He reached into his wallet and pulled out his credit card and read off the numbers.

"Is that all you need?" the President asked, "All right, then. Have a good afternoon."

Edward raised an eyebrow, "Thank you, sir."

"No need to thank me," the President said, "It's worth every penny and is such a small token of appreciation. But, I am indebted to you for spotting those holes in reality in the first place. It actually caught the Secret Service by surprise. My chief of detail is falling over himself apologizing."

"Would you call him in here, please," Edward said. But, there was no need as the door opened and a guy in a smart suit and an earpiece came in.

Edward said gently, "There is no fault of your own or the Secret Service, sir. The Dark Dragons use that method of transport to attempt sneak attacks. You have fulfilled your duty by getting the President, the Vice-President and others to safety, correct? Now, you should focus on updating your protocols as I know you had to work on the fly here. You guys did good!"

The man looked at his protectee and the President nodded, "I agree with our guest, Jim. No one will be asked to resign. You have my word on that."

"Thank you, Mr. President," Jim replied and withdrew to a spot outside the door.

"You took a load off his mind, I think," the President said.

They talked for several more minutes until the motorcade arrived to take the President back to the House. Superman offered to fly cover, just in case and the offer was accepted.

The President shook hands with everyone and said, "Tell Solor's people that I will be reporting favorably to the American people that after today, they are welcomed here at any time, and I will draft and sign an Executive Order giving you safe passage on a temporary basis, as Congress will be asked to send me a bill giving you permanent safe passage."

"I will do that, Mr. President, as the Circle will also want a debriefing," Edward replied.

They walked to the motorcade and as the President got in, waved farewell to the group.

**[Later - At the Washington Hilton]**

Solor felt his eyes flutter a bit before he opened them up, looking around. He sat up a bit quickly, and grunted. "Someone get the license number on that tank that tap-danced on my skull?" he asked, already knowing he wasn't alone.

Robin smiled at his teammate. "Welcome back. How are you feeling?"

"Weak... but that is the price to pay for using my Blessing of Light so much", Solor replied, groaning a bit. "My head hurts, but at least everyone is safe now."

Cyborg walked up, doing a quick bioscan. "Besides some minor exhaustion, it looks like you're doing alright. I hope you realize you scared the crap out of quite a few of us with that attack."

"I know... but it was the only way I could save everyone. There were... too many. Way too many. And seeing Kreinyol trying to take one down, only to see it recover so quickly... it made me realize that while you are all strong... this isn't a battle I can let you fight on your own." He bowed his head. "If you will allow me, I will continue to fight by your side."

"You don't have to ask, dude", said Terra.

"Yeah, dude. I mean, we didn't get along well back in the day, but you did make a 180 once you went to Edward's universe. I don't know exactly what happened, but something tells me whatever grudge you've been holding, you're finally over it", Beast Boy noted.

Solor looked at the green boy, surprised that he was able to figure him out. _Maybe Beast Boy is more competent than I thought..._

At that moment, there was a knock on the door, and Edward and Rachael entered the room. "Hey", Rachael said, walking over. "Are you feeling alright?"

"My head still hurts a bit, but I'm doing better. Not as tired as I thought I would be. Maybe I'm getting used to it..."

"It's possible," Edward said, "I have some news for you and Kreinyol: The United States is picking up your hotel bill in thanks for your help today, so, my advice to you two is this ... Take an extra day here. You two deserve quality time to rest and finish your tour of Washington from ground level. Luckily the damage wasn't that bad. I saw our Terra working to repair things on the ground and now that she can manipulate some other materials, the repairs won't take as long."

"What about Lair?" Solor asked, "There were things I needed to take care of."

"Never mind that," Edward replied, "I'll clear it with your father."

"Thank you, friend Edward," Kreinyol replied.

Solor, however, couldn't help but feel slightly ashamed. "Edward... I am sorry I went against your commands. While I am... well, who I am, you are the more powerful of both of us, especially now. I understand sometimes there is a time to stand down. But..." He then looked up at Edward, determination in his eyes. "I will not apologize for my actions. I will protect whoever I can, dragon or human alike. And if that means that I will be outcast again, then so be it."

Edward looked down at the younger dragon. Was this what it was like to be an agent of Light? To be willing to go against higher ups for what is right? Edward smiled slowly, and shook his head. "Solor... I know you were doing what was right. And I accept your apology for worrying us. And as for ignoring my orders...forget about that. I never gave those orders. To be honest, the only reason I got in your way was because I thought you had lost control of your anger again. But now, I see that is not the case. You fought very well today. I do have to ask, though... why didn't you kill any of the Dark Dragons? With your strength, you could have easily done so."

Solor looked down, and away from everyone. "Death will not solve anything. All it will cause is more anger and hatred against us here in the mortal world, and in Lair. I chose not to kill them, because they are not worth killing, not worth the trouble that their deaths would bring. The only ones I would not hesitate to kill would be Vilea and the Traitor himself. They are long gone... and possibly unredeemable. However... the Darkness only follows him because he is the strongest. If they ever had reason to doubt him, they would abandon his side."

"So, if Grand Darkness does have a weakness and we can exploit that," Edward said, "his children may switch sides."

"Not all of them will, but, the younger ones would defect," Solor replied, "But, even with your treatment, you're not going to be a big threat to him."

"Would he die, then?" asked Edward.

"No", said Solor. "While there would be an entirely new leader, there would have to be a ceremony to pass on the powers of the Circle. Unless he was killed by any means possible, which at this point is moot, then his powers would pass onto Vilea."

"And if both are killed somehow and there is no spare to the heir?" Edward asked.

Solor had to think about that one for a moment. Finally he shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know. The Circle always has an heir lined up and being prepared for the day when one retires and passes their power on. I suppose that the Circle would have to name a new Grand Darkness and hope that whoever is given the Title isn't as nasty as the Traitor."

Edward was actually a tad concerned. Grand Darkness was the oldest and probably the strongest of all the Dragons, and just as immortal as could be. What type of strategy could be used to defeat him? Edward had a hard fight against Trigon, but, Trigon was the 100 pound weakling possibly compared to Grand Darkness. He sighed as he sat down.

"He's failed twice now to invade the mortal world," Edward said, "He may decide to try Lair next. The $64,000 question is when will that happen?"

**[Dark Lair]**

Grand Darkness was absolutely livid. His attempt to destroy Washington, DC had utterly failed and he roared out his displeasure.

"How in Oblivion did they know?! And that Light mosquito caused how many of my children to be injured? Plus, that hybrid seems to have gotten even more powerful?!" he roared. No one could answer his questions, though.

"OK, we have to change tactics," he said to his commanders, "We will invade Lair, and this time, I will personally lead the charge. Let's see that hybrid champion of theirs try to fight me. But, we'll do that when Trigon is summoned. If we divide and conquer, they cannot defend their pitiful human realm and Lair at the same time."

Grand Darkness stopped and said, "Wait a moment...We're one short here."

One of the other leaders said, "Blacksun was captured, Grand Darkness. The reports said that the hybrid captured him and he was encased in stone by the human called Terra. He's been taken to Lair."

"You mean to tell me that one of our strongest people was taken like a newborn whelp?!"

"No sir. He was defending himself quite well and might have escaped, except he was blindsided by two large boulders that knocked him out."

"Let's hope for his sake that he doesn't talk, then," Darkness said, "If he can hold out without talking until our attack, I may spare his miserable hide. The other one, though. If he is still alive, make sure that he doesn't survive the fight.

"I want to see plans to destroy Lair by this time next week. I'm also thinking that Vilea's eggs should be laid by now," Darkness said.

In fact, in a hidden area of the Dark Lair, Vilea was carefully sitting on her eggs. She had only laid three, though, and she was disappointed. After all her hard work breaking Starborn, there were only three black and bronze eggs. But, not even she knew how long it would take to hatch a twilight egg.

"Momma's got plans for you, my babies," she cooed, "One of you will be used to summon the Earth's greatest enemy, and it is a big honor. And, momma will protect you until that day happens from big bad Light dragons or Light mosquitoes."

**[Back at the Hotel - Hours Later]**

After finishing his talk with the others, everyone headed their separate ways. The Titans and Edward had opted to head back to Jump City, and Solor and Kreinyol took Edward's advice, deciding to stay one more day in the capital of America. Currently, Solor was watching television, but not really paying attention. He was thinking about the events that happened today.

The basic rundown; Dragons were fully out in the open now, especially with this recent attack by Darkness. Edward was a lot stronger, and Solor and his friends had been able to hold back the encroaching Dragons by activating their strongest powers. Though, to Solor... it felt like he was being left behind. Even his father looked at Edward favorably over himself. He wouldn't be surprised if there was a point that Sol had considered trying to make Edward the Heir to the Light.

"Here I am... I can't seem to do anything right", he said to himself. "I got tricked by Vilea, I can't seem to answer all the questions as best as I could, I can't breathe Lightning or Ice... it seems to me Edward has it all." He looked at his hand, sighing. "Seems to me that all I can do is make people worry about me, and make them think that I'm just... so angry all the time. It's not very fair."

"What is not fair, Boyfriend Solor?" came Kreinyol's voice. After returning to the hotel room and learning that she was staying one more day, she opted to change into her one-piece uniform, the one that left very little to imagination. Solor, of course, was in his human form, and couldn't hide the blush that formed on his face.

"I-it's nothing", he said, looking away. "Just... talking to myself, is all."

Kreinyol frowned, and soon made her way over to his bed, sitting next to him. "Are you concerned about friend Edward? Or perhaps something about Edward has made you think of yourself?"

Solor sighed, still looking away. "It's nothing." However, apparently she wasn't satisfied with that answer, as she suddenly began straddling him while he sat on the bed, causing his face to turn bright red. "K-Kreinyol?! W-What are you d-doing?!"

"I do not like it when you hide things from me", she said, pouting. "So, I will not let you go until you tell me the truth."

"It's nothing, Kreinyol!" Solor repeated. "Just a little tired from today is all!"

"Tell me the truth, or I will coerce it out of you", she said. She wasn't smiling, but he could see that mischievous glint in her eye. As much as she didn't want to smile, he could tell it was taking way too much for her to hold back.

He finally let off a small smile. "Do your worst. I'll never talk."

"We'll see about that", Kreinyol replied. Then she did the one thing he didn't expect.

She took a hold of his knees and began squeezing.

Not expecting the sudden attack, Solor let out a loud yelp before covering his mouth with his hands, realizing one thing almost instantly; he was ticklish. Almost unbelievably so. However, the dam was already broken, and he was laughing hard as she kept on squeezing his knees.

"Poor Boyfriend Solor", Kreinyol said, quickly shooting her hands up to his sides and spidering her fingers against his sides and ribs. "Your scales are your weakness; underneath your 'diamond hard defense' is soft, sensitive flesh. You should have known I would take advantage of that." She gave off an evil little smile, a faint blush on her face. "Tickle tickle, dragon boy!"

After a moment, Solor couldn't take it anymore. "Ohokahay! Stahahap! I give! I give!" He felt her fingers retract, and he simply fell limp, panting. It hadn't even been a minute of tickling, and he was already out of breath. "Oblivion... I... never knew... I was _that_ sensitive..."

Kreinyol, however, smiled. She stopped straddling him, choosing to sit next to him. "That is what you get for all the times you have tickled me", she said, sticking out her tongue childishly. "Now, you gave up, so now you must tell me what is on your mind. Or are you prepared for round two?"

"NO! No, that won't be necessary", Solor said a little too fast, causing her to giggle.

After telling her what he thought, she frowned. "Solor, you must give yourself more credit. If you had not gotten into as much trouble as you have before... then we would have never met. We would not know the dangers that this world has, and would possibly be petrified forever by sister Raven's eighteenth birthday. So... for all your downsides, there are so many good things about you.

"Friend Edward has more experience, my love. It's certainly not the personal against you. Friend Edward certainly has the gifts, but, he is not as perfect as you think he is. His mind is still the clouded, is it not? He lets what he knows about you from his universe blind him when he thinks you are the angry, even when you are not. But, he has also helped you in your darkest time even when you could not ask him. And he continues to help, but, it's because of the debt of life. He feels the need to stay and help defend us from the Trigon."

Solor sighed, and let a sad smile show. "I hate it when you counter my arguments. How am I supposed to be moody when you always are there to cheer me up?"

"Because if I let you be moody all the time, I would probably not be willing to be with you, no matter how much I love you", said Kreinyol. "It is healthier for one to be honest about there emotions, and learn to calm their own fears, than it is to mope on them all of the time. Boyfriend Solor, you asked me to take care of your heart and I would not be the good friend if I allowed you to sit here and sulk. I cannot allow my best friend to shoulder all this himself."

She then brought her hands together, lightly playing with her fingers. "To be honest... today, when I saw you using your blessing after I was in trouble... I was so scared that you had lost yourself to your anger again. But when you showed you were in complete control... I was so happy. Because I knew you'd do anything to protect everyone. And then the fear came back."

"Why would you be afraid?" asked Solor.

"Because... I was afraid of something stronger than you defeating and killing you before this war is over... before we can be together." She turned to him, and he noticed her blushing again. "I... I want to be with you, Solor. Even if it is not in a traditional marriage... I wish to be yours."

Solor's eyes flashed with panic only briefly, but he quickly calmed down. "K-Kreinyol? I... I love you as well... and believe me... nothing would make me happier. But... are you sure?"

Kreinyol nodded, and blushed, gently reaching over and touching his shoulder. "I am. I want to be yours, and I want you to be mine. Even if only for one night... even if only for a short amount of time. If I die... or you die... I want it to be known that you and I are destined for each other... in this life and the next." She then looked down at her free hand, the blush fading. "I understand, though, if you wish not to. That Dark Dragoness... what she did to you... most cannot recover from that. And if you wish to abstain... then I will accept it. I only ask... that you do not push me away from you anymore."

Solor looked back at her, and could feel his heart-beat racing. Slowly, he reached up, gently holding her chin and making her look back at him. "My love... I will never push you away again." He leaned down, kissing her lips tenderly and lovingly. Her eyes widened at first, but soon they closed, and she began to wrap her arms around him. The two could feel their hearts beating faster, their nerves suddenly on fire as they moved closer and closer, their make-out session becoming more intimate.

That was when the communicator went off.

Solor groaned again, breaking the kiss and taking out the device. He looked to it, growling. It wasn't an emergency call, so more likely than not, it was Edward trying to contact him. Kreinyol stared blankly at it, before taking it out of Solor's hands, and opening it up to reveal Edward's face. "Yes, Brother Edward?" she asked politely. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"Um... yeah. Is Solor there? I'm just checking on him, seeing how he's doing", Edward said, confused. As Edward was speaking, Solor slowly began reaching around Kreinyol, slowly beginning to drag a finger down her back, causing her to shiver at his touch. She shot him a look that turned predatory, and then she looked back at Edward.

"He is a bit... preoccupied", she said, her voice starting to become husky. "I shall have him contact you after I am done with him." With that said, she did three things in rapid succession.

One, she turned off the communicator.

Two, she switched it to Emergency Only mode.

Three, she chucked it to the other side of the room before tackling Solor to the bed, smiling hungrily down at him. "You clorbag, you almost made me moan in front of him!" she said, her face bright red.

"Did I, now?" Solor asked, smirking. "And what are you going to do about it?"

"Oh, I do not know..." she said, playfully. "Perhaps I shall start tickling you again?"

Solor's cocky smirk faded into a look of pure panic. "You wouldn't da-" His sentence was quickly interrupted with a hungry kiss. Suddenly, he forgot what he was going to say.

Good thing the walls in the hotel are extra thick...

**[Titan Tower]**

Edward looked at the communicator and said, "Well, that's interesting."

"What's that?" Rachael said.

"Kreinyol hung up on me. And she sounded like she was also preoccupied. Do you think that...?"

"I'm not going to check using my powers," Rachael said, "Let nature take its course, dear. I think Solor needs the privacy and so does she. The last couple of weeks have been hell for both of them and they need tonight to fully move on. Their relationship was strained and, it's obvious that Darkness is aware of the war breaking out. We got lucky today, but, we also saw how Solor's beaten his anger issues. We have to trust him, Edward. You assumed that he was going to blow his stack and that could have been costly. I know, you apologized and he accepted it. He said sorry and you accepted it. We're in his universe and we have to let him take lead sometimes. If not, he may decide to hell with everything and actually sit out the rest of this regardless, even if that means being banished for life."

Edward actually felt like a first class ass ... or as Starfire would put it: A clorbag. Since his powers were ramped up and even before, he was used to taking charge and getting through things with either brute force or street smarts.

He sighed, "You're right, dear. I cannot fully retreat, but, I am willing to step aside and remember that he is as much a part of the whole team of superheroes and dragons as anyone. I didn't trust him in that battle and assumed that his rage had consumed him again. I cannot afford to let his past cloud what is here and now. And with the dragon's strength bias, if he feels weak, it will affect him on too many levels. I consider him to be strong physically...and if they are doing what we both hope, he will regain his emotional strength."

Unknown to them, though, Robin overheard the conversation and his eyes narrowed in anger and even jealousy. He certainly did not approve of what he suspected Starfire and Solor were actually doing.

**[Lair]**

Darksun awoke after hours of being knocked out. He soon realized he couldn't move, and growled.

"So... they think they can break me?" he mused. "Well, they have another thing coming... whatever Nightwing told them will be worthless."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that", said a new voice. The dragon turned to see Sol sitting there, glaring at him. "I know who you are, Darksun. I know you are a general in the Traitor's army. I know you will be hard to break."

Grand Light let out a sinister smile. "I'm sure you don't know this... but I was the main interrogator before my father passed on the title to me. And we have nothing but time. So..." He lifted his claws, showing that they were glowing in a white light.

"Shall we begin?"

What Darksun went through is probably best left to one's imagination, though.

"Do your worst," Darksun taunted, "I'll never talk."

"Suit yourself," Sol said and went to work. When he finished, the Dragons of Lair were well aware that it was a good thing they were on the same side as the Dark Traitor's roars and screams echoed throughout the land.


	11. A Brief Break

**[Chapter 11]**

**[Washington Hamilton - The Next Morning]**

"Good morning, my love."

Solor slowly opened his eyes, looking around. He was a bit worried at first, since he didn't recognize his surroundings. But then his eyes fell on Kreinyol, and couldn't help but smile. Her radiant green eyes, the loving smile on her face, her beautifully disheveled hair, and finally, the mark on her neck reminded him of what happened. What looked to be a scar in the shape of a star resided at the base of her neck, where her collarbone began, and he couldn't help but smile. He traced his fingers over the mark, causing her to shiver.

"Good morning to you, too, Kreinyol", he said back to her. "I see you're still sensitive from the ritual?"

"Well, who is the one that did not tell me how many times we should go at it?" she teased. She lay down, pulling her new husband towards her. "In truth... last night... it was so magical. I never wanted it to end."

"As did I, my love", said Solor. He wrapped his arms around her waist. "Well... this is it. In my customs... we are married. I will admit... it feels better than I ever imagined it would." He smiled at Kreinyol. "Although, with you as my wife, I am certain that makes it all the more special."

She blushed, and couldn't help but bring her hands to her face. "Quiet, you. I am still recovering."

Solor smiled, and kissed her forehead. "Well, then you and I can recover for the day. We shall do whatever you wish, my love. Today, the war doesn't exist. It's just us."

Kreinyol smiled sadly. "I would love for us to just stay here, Husband Solor", she said. "But... as much as I would love to stay one more night, we are needed back in our homes tomorrow. We should head back."

Solor nodded. "If that is your wish." He got up, revealing his naked form as he stood from the bed. He was about to head for the washroom to get ready when her hand caught his, making him stop and turn to see a flirtatious smile on her face.

"I said we should leave", said Kreinyol, licking her lips. "I did not say when."

**[Titan's Tower]**

Robin was not happy.

While walking through the halls the night before, making a last patrol before heading for bed himself, he stopped when he heard Edward mention Starfire. And from what he could get out of Edward and Rachael's conversation, Starfire and Solor had finally chosen to be married, according to Solor's customs.

He knew it was going to happen at one point or another, but that didn't mean he had to like it.

He was in the gym, training himself, and taking out his own stress. He knew that it would be bad for the team if he acted upon his envy, so to bury his emotions, he fought against a punching bag for hours on end. It got to the point that Raven, who usually did not take interest in anything, stopped by the door. One look said it all; Robin was exhausted, and she decided it was time to stop him.

[Edward], she called through the shared link, as she figured he'd like to know. [I'm picking up a lot of anger and envy from Robin. I'm guessing it has to do with Starfire. Did you talk about her at all with Rachael?]

There was a pause, before he replied, [Well, a little. I spoke of how she was the one to pick up Solor's communicator, and how she suddenly hung up on me.]

[That would explain this, then], Raven thought, sighing. [I think our leader overheard you, because he's been in the gym for hours now. I don't think he's eaten anything, either.]

[Then that explains why he didn't show up for breakfast], Edward growled. [I'll come over and talk to him about this.]

[No, let me. I'm already here, I might as well should make an attempt before I sic you on him.]

[Alright, Raven. But be careful. He's in an emotional state, and probably won't react kindly to being told how to feel.]

[Empath, remember? I already know how this will end.] With that, Raven cut communications with Edward, and walked in. "What did the punching bag do, insult your hair style?"

Robin turned, shooting Raven a glare. "What do you want?"

"Your anger is staggering, Robin", said the empath. "You're completely worn out, but you keep attacking to eliminate the anger. And that keeps you moving and keeps you from resting."

Robin turned away. "How I deal with my stress is my business."

"Not when you have an empath on the team", Raven countered. With a wave of her hand, he was immediately held still, his entire body covered with a black aura. "I know you're mad about Starfire and Solor. But you knew this was going to happen, either before or after this war is over. Your anger is based on your lust for Solor's girlfriend, and you need to let it go."

"I'm perfectly in control of my emotions", said Robin. "I just... this is how I deal with stress. I need to train, to work."

"Training and working are only distractions, temporary things. My way is going to deal with those emotions head on", Raven said. "And you'll work with me if you want to walk away without any bodily harm, Robin."

Robin glared, but nodded. "Fine. Now, will you put me down?" After Raven set him down, he deactivated the punching bag, allowing it to retract into the ceiling. "So, what does this plan of yours involve?"

Raven merely folded her legs, floating in the air as she got into a meditative stance.

"No", Robin said after a pause. "I am not-"

"You will sit down, or I will make you sit down", Raven threatened. "Now, are you gonna do this the easy way, or the hard way?" After a moment, Robin sat down. "Now, I will teach you how to meditate. The only thing that you can do to help yourself is to listen to me. Understand?" He nodded. "Good. Then, find your center. Clear your mind of everything. And focus only on the situation. Focus on your emotions, your anger. And master it."

Robin nodded again, and closed his eyes. He began to meditate silently, thinking about everything that happened.

Meanwhile, unknown to the two teenagers, Edward had already made his way back to the gym, with Rachael in tow. The two were observing, mainly to see how Robin would react, and how Raven would handle the situation. So far, it didn't look like they were needed, but they were ready to step in if Raven couldn't handle the leader of the Teen Titans.

[Damn,] Edward said to his mate, [Robin is taking this really hard. He's really hurting, I think. He's so very much in love with her that I fear it may impact the team down the line unless Raven can get him passed this point because he will flip out if she comes back marked like he almost did to Vilea.]

[Welcome to the obsessive Robin era, dear,] Rachael said, [You're lucky that Nightwing's no longer as obsessive when it comes to folks like Slade. He's driven, yes, but, not obsessive. The situation with the Brotherhood of Evil helped in that respect. It forced him to look at more angles than his own viewpoint. He learned to balance what Batman taught him and what the team taught him. Robin tries to not let the romance between Starfire and Solor get to him, but, until he really deals with the emotions, he will jeopardize this team. You and I need to let Raven deal with this one. She's every bit my counterpart and I have the utmost faith in her.]

As time went on, Robin looked considerably calmer. But after only a few moments, he growled a bit, and slammed his hand against the ground. "What's the point of this?" he said, glaring. "This doesn't do anything. I'm just sitting here, thinking about Solor and Starfire, and it's not doing me any good."

"That's because you're not trying hard enough", said Raven. "You're supposed to be the sidekick of the greatest detective in America. Think about it without bias."

[Well played!] Edward cheered and motioned for Rachael to follow him out the door. If there would be a problem, Edward was sure Raven would contact him or Rachael, and more likely Rachael anyway. They went back to Ops and decided to watch the news, which, of course was wall to wall coverage of the fight over DC still.

Robin glared at Raven again, but soon sighed, and began meditating again. It was going to take some time, but it looked like the younger empath was getting through to her leader, albeit slowly and surely.

XxXxX

As Raven dealt with Robin, Beast Boy and Terra came into Ops, carrying many envelopes in their arms. "Mail call!" Beast Boy yelled out. "Pick up your fan letters, magazines, and anything else you ordered!"

Cyborg was the first to arrive, picking up his magazine and small stack of letters. "Just leave Robin and Raven's stuff outside of their rooms, BB", he said. "Robin got some bad news, and Raven's trying to help him out."

"What kind of bad news?" Terra asked curiously.

"The 'Girl He Loves is a Married Woman' kind", Cyborg said, smirking. "I was looking into why he barely spoke two words to any of us before starting his private training, and I ran into an interesting conversation. Sounds like Starfire and Solor finally hooked up."

"Dude, that's great!" Beast Boy said. He then made a face. "Wait. Not great. Now they're gonna be even more lovey dovey than they were before."

Terra smacked Beast Boy's shoulder, smirking. "Oh, and you didn't act at all lovey dovey when you and I first met." She smiled. "If they did hook up, then I'm happy for them. Smoke breath deserves a nice girl, especially after all the crap they've gone through recently." She picked up her magazine, then noticed a copy of National Enquirer had fallen from her stack.

And it flipped open to a page dedicated solely to the couple in question.

"Hey, what's this?" Terra asked, looking at it. She began reading silently. Slowly, her face turned red, and she began to close the paper. "U-uh, I think we have a problem."

Cyborg looked at what she was holding, and shrugged. "So, it's the National Enquirer. You know they're always making bogus stories about us."

"This one's a bit different", Terra replied, opening the page about it. "Read here."

Cyborg did so, and soon, he paled considerably. "H-How did they get that information?"

Beast Boy looked over Cyborg's shoulder, and soon looked disgusted. "Dude, five hours? I know those two have stamina, but that's just ridiculous!"

Cyborg glared. "BB, I don't think you quite understand the situation. Someone parked themselves outside of Solor's room, or snuck a tape recorder or whatever, and... and..."

"They were recorded having sex", Terra finished. "That's a major breech in not only the hotel security, but they were sticking their nose way into something they shouldn't have! That's scummy and sleazy and... Who in their right mind would try to get a picture of a dragon having sex?!"

Beast Boy finally understood, and looked even more disgusted. "Well... there goes my appetite for lunch. So what should we do? It's not like we can call the Enquirer and actually order them to recall all of the papers they published."

"Beast Boy's right", said Cyborg. "If we try anything, the Enquirer will just blow us off, or try to make a deal for a 'juicier' story. I'm more worried about what'll happen if Solor or Robin reads this!"

"If you think that's bad, wait until Edward - "

"Until I what?" asked Edward. The conversation had gotten real silent, so he had walked over to see what was going on.

"NOTHING!" all three teens declared, getting in the way of the magazine and trying to hide what it said to him.

Edward looked odd at his friends' counterparts and said, "OK, what gives you three?"

"Nothing, man!" Beast Boy said.

"Dude," Edward said, "You might be a good shapeshifter, but, a terrible liar. So, do yourselves a favor and just hand over whatever you are trying to hide that I can hear crinkling."

Terra was the bravest one and handed Edward the paper. As he read the article, the others decided to make a run for it.

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!" he roared.

They returned to see Edward is in a very foul mood.

"I am only gonna say this once," he said, "Do not say a word to Robin, Raven or your counterparts. I will deal with this. Lousy sons of bitches think they can invade Solor's privacy. Cyborg, you got a bug detector somewhere that I might borrow?"

"Of course, dawg. I'll get it," Cyborg said.

He calmed down and said, "Guys, I appreciate that you wanted to hide this from me. I'm not as mad at you as I would have been had I found out later – as in trying to stop Solor and Starfire from ripping you guys' heads off. As it is, they will be livid."

He took the paper and paced the floor wondering how he could break the news to his friends without them wanting to flatten the Enquirer's HQ in Boca Raton, Florida.

He decided to give them a heads-up that he was about to teleport over there.

"Edward calling Solor," he said when he opened the communicator only to see "Communicator offline".

He hit the priority call button and a few moments later, Solor appeared, "Edward, this had better be an emergency or so help me…"

"Trust me, brother, it is an emergency," Edward said, "We have a problem that I cannot state on an open channel. It's about the war."

"Fine," Solor said, "Give us a few moments."

"All right. I'll come in the normal way then," Edward said and signed off.

Cyborg went to get a high tech bug detector and showed Edward how to use it.

"Thanks, man," Edward said and headed out.

He went to the ground floor and after morphing, flew off before teleporting to the hotel.

After quickly being reminded which room they were in, Edward made his way up the elevator, down the hall, and eventually finding their room. He knocked a few times. "Solor? Kreinyol? It's Edward."

After a moment, Solor opened the door, revealing himself in his human form. "Hello, Brother", he said, smiling. He allowed Edward in, noting that he wasn't in the best mood. "What is wrong?"

"Well... best way I can put it is that your 'marriage' isn't exactly secret", said Edward.

Solor had the decency to blush. "W-well, it's not our fault that the door isn't thick enough to hold back the sound!"

Kreinyol came out of the washroom, wearing her tourist clothes. "Is everything alright?" she asked. Edward could clearly see the mark on the left side of her neck.

"Well, I wish I was here congratulating you guys", said Edward. "However, we got some bad news. Apparently, someone took a very personal interest in what you were doing last night, and managed to either record your... 'marriage' through the door..."

"... or by planting a recording device on us", Solor realized. "How do you know about this?"

Edward's response was to hand him a copy of the National Enquirer. As Solor read, his expression remained unchanged. However, his grip on the paper got tighter.

After a few minutes, he folded the paper neatly and gave it to Kreinyol, who in turn read it as well. She blushed profusely at first, but soon, curiosity got the better of her as she read it. "Wait... we started at seven?"

Solor nodded. "Sounds about right... the ceremony did last a while. Not as long as some dragons back in Lair, though. A couple that has held back from mating for years, waiting for the blessing of the Circle, sometimes take at least twenty-four hours."

"And you know this how?" Edward asked, almost regretting asking.

"It's kinda hard to miss when you live in a large mountainous area, where you can hear every sound echo for miles", Solor deadpanned. He shook his head. "I do not understand, though. How does this regard to the war?"

Edward sighed. "Because if humans are able to slip a trace or electronic bug onto you guys with barely any trouble at all, we have no idea how many Dark Dragons are watching you guys by doing the same thing, and I have to assume that some of them know how to read." He pulled out the bug tracker, and began sweeping the room. Finally, after a minute or so, he found the tiny microphone pinned to Kreinyol's purple dress that she wore the day before. "Bingo. Found the sucker."

Solor walked over, looking at the microphone. "It's amazing what technology can do. I always imagined recording devices to be big and bulky... not something that you'd never noticed pinned to a jacket." He took a hold of the microphone...

... and smashed it in his claw.

Edward looked at Solor, confused. "You're taking this real well."

"Well... in my customs most of my kind will know when a couple has performed the ceremony the night it happens. So it is not like it was really a breach in security. What this human did was appalling and shady, had he chosen other targets."

Kreinyol nodded, "But in all honesty, after last night... I do not mind if the whole world knows. I am bound to Husband Solor now. His priority is my priority, and if he is not upset, then neither am I." She looked at the remains of the microphone. "Besides, I am sure that the reporter just lost money for that report, seeing as microphones like that are not very cheap."

"I'm surprised," Edward said, "You're acting totally opposite to what I am used to. However, as you're OK with this. I will not have to go to their building and threaten to flatten their printing press."

"Thank you," Solor said, "I'm not the same anger filled dragon you met a year ago."

"Solor," Edward said, "I've been a royal clorbag. I've let our initial encounters cloud my mind and biased my treatment of you and, the worst part is, I know there's no reasonable excuse. In the last several months, you've changed a lot for the better. Even Sol is impressed with the change in your attitude enough that he fully supported renaming you as Heir to the Light."

"You mean you would not want the position?" Solor asked.

"You are your father's firstborn, my friend," Edward said, "I have no right to take that away from you. You recanted your telling him where to stuff being the Light Heir, he forgave you. That's the important thing. I never desired your position, Starborn, ever. I do not like ruling unless I have to. Being your general in this war is an honor and a privilege, yes. But, you are also in charge of the Light dragons because you have earned the spot, I trust you to make the right decisions ... and I will try to discern when you are truly angry and help you instead of hindering you. I want you to feel comfortable talking to me about anything. If you need to tell me off, I'm the same Edward you got to know a year ago, and I can take my lumps."

_He's not that telepathic, is he?! It's like he knew what's worrying me so much._

"I'll do that," Solor replied with a smirk.

There was an insistent knock on the door and Solor answered it.

"What did you do to my microphone?" the guy asked.

"Excuse me," Solor said, "But, who are you?"

"Jack McGee," the guy said, "National Enquirer."

Starfire handed McGee the remains of the microphone and he said, "That's $1500 someone owes me!"

Edward said, eyes glowing yellow, "Mr. McGee, don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry."

"Who are you?" McGee asked.

"I could be your worst nightmare, McGee," Edward said, "Name's Barnes, Edward Barnes. You know, the rather large dragon seen protecting Titan Tower and the White House. Now, the way I see it. You invaded my friends' right to privacy and put their wedding night in your paper. You deserve a drink from a gallon of whoop-ass. The ONLY reason you are walking out of this room is because Solor and Starfire are not angry about it. You have a choice: Turn and leave voluntarily or be escorted out by hotel security or I escort you out and I may not be as friendly as the hotel folks. Regardless, here's your microphone back. And, a word of advice: Stay out of Jump City. Your violations of personal privacy will be met by Solor's friends there and, I guarantee you this: You will end up in jail on a trespassing charge and that's if Raven doesn't ship you to Barrow. Also, I suggest that you not print any of this or before I leave for my home, I will make sure that you are blacklisted from every newspaper in this country. Take a hike, McGee. I never want to see you again."

McGee took the smashed device and left.

"Call the front desk, please," Edward asked, "Tell them that there's a guy named McGee probably roaming the halls and that he was the one who pulled that stunt."

Starfire made the call and sure enough, a loud voice was heard protesting the guards grabbing him up.

"HEY!" McGee yelled, "Get your hands off me."

"Stuff it, McGee," a guard replied, "You've been a pain in our necks for too long. And, bugging those who helped defend our Capital yesterday is the last straw. The police will be here to take you to jail on a trespassing charge."

"I have the right to be here!"

Edward excused himself and went to "talk sense" into McGee. Meaning McGee was calmly hoisted into the air with one bronze scaled arm and looking into the face of a dragon who had about enough of the man.

"You're on private property, numbnuts. Last I knew, the First Amendment does not give a 'reporter' a right to trespass," Edward said, "I'm here, worried about a damn war to preserve the human race and wasting my time dealing with a piss-ant who I might feed his soul to Trigon. Be grateful that neither Solor nor his wife want to press charges for felony invasion of privacy. One more word outta you, and I will take you back to Boca Raton, and you can watch as I destroy your place of work and tell your publisher why and who is responsible. Do I make myself absolutely clear?"

McGee nodded, "You win!"

"Oh, I see anything about this in your paper and you will not like my reaction. You may certainly claim Freedom of the Press ... but, with that freedom comes the accountability that comes with that Freedom," Edward reminded him and released him. The entire time, his eyes actually stayed their normal color, which surprised Solor and Kreinyol.

"You handled that very nicely," Solor said, "I'm surprised that you didn't get more angry than this.

"It was enough, though," Edward said, "No need to really show him my wrath, correct? Besides, I need to show you the same thing: I'm not a rage filled Dragon, either. I was more angry before I talked to you. But, your taking this so calmly kind of took the wind outta my sails."

Solor nodded as he understood the analogy.

Edward did smile though as he said, "Now, I can congratulate you two on your marriage. After the war is over, have Raven open a Tear to my universe. You two get an all expenses paid honeymoon, on me."

Solor and Kreinyol's jaw dropped, "T-t-thank you, Edward!"

"You're welcome! You won't get much of a honeymoon now, but, when this is all over, I want you to have the best honeymoon ever.

"But, I am concerned. When the Circle finds out (not from me), I do not think even I can keep them from banishing you for good, Light Heir or not. If that happens and you both need a place to be rid of those who would hunt you down, my door is always open. I have the resources to set you both up with a nice place wherever you want."

Solor frowned at that. "Thank you, Edward..." he said, reaching over and taking a hold of Kreinyol's hand. "But I will face whatever the Circle decides against me with my head high. I will not run, not from them, or anyone that tries to get in my way." The fierce look in Kreinyol's eye pretty much said it all, as she stood by her husband.

Edward sighed, "Now, I get to head back to the Tower and see if Raven's calmed Robin down. He overheard us talking last night and he figured things out. He is not taking it well. I'd recommend you stay another night, but -"

"-I will face Robin without your help," Solor said. Edward nodded, "I was going to say something along those lines."

He gave Starfire a hug and got a good look at the pattern. He smiled at that.

Solor also got a hug and Edward departed, heading back to the Tower.

When he got there, he was mobbed by Cyborg, Terra and Beast Boy.

"Chill, guys," Edward said with a smile, "Yes, there was a bug in their room. A 'reporter' snuck a tiny mic onto Starfire's jacket. Solor crushed it, but, that was the extent of their reaction. Turns out that in his home, it's really hard to keep the consummation of a marriage quiet, so, pretty much everyone knows when the Circle gives their blessing to a pairing. He wasn't upset at all! Neither was Starfire."

The three teens breathed a sigh of relief. It was obvious that Robin would be the one to steer clear of.

"So, they are 'married'?" Beast Boy asked.

"Yep," Edward said, "But, let's not make a bit deal out of it. Robin's going to have a hard enough time over the next few days, and that's assuming those blasted Dark Dragons can leave us alone for a while.

"And, Robin's going to have to develop weapons that pack a bigger punch as well."

They chatted for a while, staying out of Raven's hair and letting her help their leader get through a rough time.

XxXxX

Robin growled for the umpteenth time today, and slammed his fist against the ground again. "I'm sorry, Raven, but I don't get it. How is sitting here and thinking about Solor and Starfire supposed to help me?"

Raven sighed. They had been at this for a good hour, and Robin kept interrupting the session. Raven, on the other hand, was getting frustrated, and a few things had been flung across the room in her frustration.

"You know what? Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way", she said. She floated over to Robin, sitting in front of him. "Since practical meditation isn't working for you so far, and we need you to not be in a rage-induced angst when Solor and Starfire come back, I'm going to help you see clearly."

"And how are you going to do that?" asked Robin warily.

"By going down memory lane", said Raven. "We're going to go through all of your memories concerning those two, and hopefully, you'll see the answer."

Robin sighed. "I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

"No, you don't", Raven monotoned. She placed her hands on his head. "Now; we're going to be passed out in the real world, but we'll be walking through your mindscape to see the memories. Kind of like what I did with Solor a week ago. Just be calm, and don't kick me out. That would be very rude."

"Isn't it rude to intrude into someone's head?" Robin countered.

"Hush. This is for your own good."

With a simple breath, Raven's soul self entered Robin's mind, and like a flash, the scenario was way different to the two Titans. Changing from the gym to the streets of Jump City was a bit disorienting, but the two could see clearly that this was the night of the Titans' forming. Solor and the boys were just about to move forward and attack the angered Starfire when Raven stopped them. "Maybe fighting isn't the answer", she suggested.

"Okay, what are we doing here?" asked Robin.

"You brought us here, not me", Raven replied.

The group stared at the alien, and Solor suddenly put on a look of understanding. He suggested that he go forward and talk to the alien. Robin initially wasn't going to let him, but ended up doing so, considering that before he could deny Solor, the dragon walked forward. The real Robin frowned, remembering that. "Even back then, he and I didn't get along."

"Well, what were you going to do back then?" Raven asked.

Robin sighed. "Well... I was going to suggest the same thing. I mean... she did look scared more than angry. I guess he just picked up on it faster. Kinda makes sense; he's been on this world a lot longer than any of us; he recognized the emotion a lot faster than any of us when he wasn't pissed as hell."

Raven smirked, but said nothing.

The next memory was after that night, when Starfire asked to stay. Solor offered his friendship, as did Robin. Once they all had their communicators, Cyborg mentioned building a tower. "With the mayor's permission, we should be able to build an HQ here. That way, we'll be in the center of the disaster zones, should anyone be dumb enough to mess with us."

"Question is, where are we going to stay while the tower is being built?" Raven asked. "Obviously, I'll bunk with Starfire. I have a room in a hotel with an extra bed."

"Same here", Robin said. "Beast Boy and I can share. What about you two?"

Cyborg shrugged. "I got my own charging station, but my batteries will last a while. I think I'm good for a few days, as long as we don't have to fight any more aliens. No offense, Star."

"None taken."

Solor, however, looked a bit confused. He looked around, and spotted the forest just outside of the city. "There. I will stay there", he said, pointing.

"Wait, in the forest?" Robin asked, surprised.

"Unacceptable!" Starfire refused, grabbing Solor's hand, which surprised the dragon. "I cannot allow my new friend and savior to live in such meager conditions! You will stay with Raven and I!"

Solor shook his head, recovering from the initial shock. "First... just call me Solor. I am no one's savior. Second... I do not like being touched." At that, Starfire sheepishly pulled her hand away. "And third, I am used to hostile conditions. I can survive easily in the forest as the alpha."

Starfire looked ready to object again, but Raven stopped her. "Let him. Judging from his attire and powers, he's probably used to living on meager provisions. And as much as I wish I could help, I don't exactly have the funds to put him up, too."

Robin thought about offering to put up with Solor, but after seeing how Starfire looked so sad, decided against it. He didn't want to help someone who was just gonna throw his generosity back in his face.

"If there are no objections, then I shall find a place to sleep for the day. Contact me if you require my assistance." Solor flapped his wings and took off, and everyone began to go their separate ways. Starfire was the last one to start moving, giving Solor one more look before following Raven to her hotel room.

Robin remembered not liking how much attention Starfire was paying to Solor, but pegged that as just not liking him back then.

Next was the night that Blackfire arrived on Earth. When Starfire was kidnapped by the Centaury drone, Solor had contacted the group and told them he needed help in saving her. On the outside, Robin was doing his job as the leader... but on the inside, he realized that he was happy Solor couldn't save Starfire. It gave him a chance to play the hero and try to save Starfire himself. However, in the end, it was Solor who destroyed the machine.

"I don't get the point", said Robin. "What's it all supposed to mean?"

"We're getting there. Just keep watching", said Raven.

Continuing onto the memories was the night that Solor quit the Titans. Robin remembered being picked up and shaken a bit. "Robin? Robin! Wake up, my friend!"

"Star, if you keep shaking me, I might pass out", he said, feeling very dizzy from the shaking. After she settled down a bit, he shook his head, getting his bearings back. "Damn... Solor can really pack a punch", he said, motioning to the broken couch.

"Solor did this?" Starfire asked, confused. "But he would never attack any of us! What happened?"

"Well, Solor asked for the day off so he could go about his mission", Robin explained, though he looked rather angry. "However, thanks to the camera's at a new club opening up, I found out that he met up with Jinx of the H.I.V.E. and spent the night with her. Then he got attacked and didn't call for backup like he said he would." He showed Starfire the footage, and she remained silent for a minute.

"You and I are going to find him, _teammate_ Robin", she finally said, putting emphasis on the word "teammate". "Robin, how could you push him away? It is obvious from the footage that he is not planning anything malicious, and he was certainly doing the holding back until he discovered that his attackers were not human!"

Robin was stunned. "Are you kidding, Star? He was dancing with a villain! He could be planning any kind of crime with her!"

"I see only two teenagers having fun on a Friday night", Starfire replied, glaring at Robin. "If you do not wish to find him... then I shall search for him myself."

Robin thought at first she was bluffing... until she made for the door. "Wait! Don't! I'll start looking. I'm... I'm sorry. I let my anger get the best of me."

Starfire immediately brightened up, and the two got to work.

The real Robin, meanwhile, was watching, and he couldn't help but glare. So far, every time that Starfire was happy... it was because of Solor. Everytime she was sad, he was there to help her. And Robin was only considered a friend.

From the very beginning.

Robin sighed. "I get it, Raven. Let's go back."

Raven nodded, and soon the two were back in their bodies. Raven took her hands from Robin's head, and settled back. "So... what did you learn? We didn't look at as many memories as I thought we would."

Robin sighed. "I never had a chance with Starfire, did I?"

Raven shook her head. "I could feel from the very beginning that Starfire had a crush on Solor. And those feelings only grew as they got closer together. I'm sorry, Robin... but you'll have to be satisfied with being her best friend."

Robin sighed, and leaned back. "You know... it's kinda... relieving."

"How so?"

"Well... I've been putting a lot of stress on myself. And while I'd love to be the one Starfire loves... I'm happy to just be her friend. She's a great person, and I'll always be there for her if she needs me."

"And what about Solor?"

Robin glared a bit. "If he does anything to hurt her..."

Raven smirked. "... then we'll have to protect him from Starfire. You know he'd never do that willingly."

Robin nodded. "Well... that might be a moot point. They're married now... so I'll have to be the bigger man and congratulate them."

"Glad you think so", said a familiar voice, and both Titans turned to see Solor and Starfire standing there, with an amused Edward standing by.

"W-When did you guys get here?" Robin asked, surprised and embarrassed.

"A bit ago", Solor said. "After we got contacted by Edward earlier today, we decided it was time to cut the vacation short and return home. Edward teleported us home."

Starfire flew over to Robin, giving him a hug. "I am sorry, Robin. Perhaps if it played out differently, we could be more. But my heart belongs to Husband Solor... and while I know that is not your ideal situation, I am most pleased to hear you say that you'll be here for us."

Solor nodded, walking over and placing a hand on his leader's shoulder. "And I will be here for you as well... brother."

Robin looked up, surprised. The only one he had ever called brother was Edward, and that was because they were so close. Did Solor's opinion of him really change that much? He couldn't help but smile sadly. "Thanks, guys. I'm here for you, really... I just... think I need to be alone for now." He walked out, but stopped to look at Raven. "And... thanks, Raven. For everything. You're a good friend."

Raven nodded her head. "I'm not just here to throw Beast Boy out of a window, you know. I do care for you guys."

Edward chuckled at that one remembering when his spouse would toss Beast Boy out the nearest window. Edward was glad Raven was able to help out before Robin got his butt handed to him by Solor. Then again, Solor had calmed down a lot over the past year, so, a serious fight probably would not even happen. That, in itself, was a bright spot in the impending war.

Edward tossed his idea to chat with Robin, seeing that Raven handled that particular crisis. He figured that his help, for once, was rendered a moot issue and was happy for that.

Edward switched to the Dragon language and said, "I am glad that this problem is settled."

"I am, too," Kreinyol said, also in the dragon tongue. Both Edward and Solor's jaws hit the floor.

"Since when to you speak my language, my love?" Solor asked.

"Since last night," she said, "Remember I learn languages through physical contact? Last night was ..."

"We know!" Beast Boy said, getting a slap from Raven and Terra!

"OUCH!" he yelled, rubbing his head, before realizing that he needed to form a bird, and fast, as Rachael phased him through the window, having heard the end of the conversation.

Solor blushed a bit, and rubbed the back of his head. "So... I am assuming that everyone saw that article?" he asked.

"Only ones who didn't were Robin and Raven, thanks to them having to work through Robin's anger issue", Cyborg said. "When he found out, you can imagine he was mad."

"With the last year of him trying to find an excuse to break-up me and Kreinyol, I would not be surprised", Solor mused. "Oh well. He's accepting of it now. That is all that matters."

By then, Beast Boy had come back in grumbling, "OK, which Raven tossed me that time?"

"I'll never tell," they both said in stereo. Edward just started whistling "Off to see the Wizard".

Solor, however, smiled. "Beast Boy, you did kind of deserve that one. After all, as skilled a fighter you are, tact is not your strong point."

"Husband, perhaps you should think before you speak", Kreinyol said. She then whispered into Solor's ear in his language, "or do you want me to tell Terra about your new weakness so she can pay you back for how hard you were on her during her training?"

Solor's face turned bright red at the thought of that. "Don't you dare!" he yelled, getting everyone to stare at him. He blushed even more, gave Kreinyol a look that said, "You're gonna get it later", and quickly walked away, excusing himself in the dragon tongue.

"Um... do I wanna know what that was about?" Cyborg asked.

"Nothing", Kreinyol said. "Just helping my friends out by 'taking him down a peg'."

Terra smirked. "Any way I can get you to share this little secret? I could use some payback on him."

"My lips are the sealed", Kreinyol replied. "Now, if you shall excuse me, Husband Solor and I need to unpack." With that, she excused herself and headed out as well.

Raven, meanwhile, managed to pick up a bit of the conversation through her empathy, and was trying very hard not to laugh.

"You know something", said Beast Boy, noticing her strained expression.

Raven panicked a bit, and quickly teleported before Beast Boy could try to get the info out of her.

Edward pondering what was going on, but a look from his Raven convinced him not to.

It was a good thing as the communications station and Cyborg answered it.

It was Sol (the Titans had loaned him a communicator a while back), "I need to speak to Starborn," he said.

Solor went over to the console and said, "Greetings, father."

Sol smiled at his son, bowing his head a bit. "Well... I must admit... it took a lot of work, more than I would like to admit. I will not go into details about how I acquired this information, but I will say this; the Dark Dragons have lost contact with Vilea, except for Darksun himself. We were rather lucky on our choice of prisoner. However, she has laid at least two eggs. So, if she does have more, we are unaware."

Solor nodded. "Well, at least we now know where to go. Did he describe the colors?"

"Bronze and black", replied Sol. "Half of the egg is bronze, the other half dark as the night sky. Likely the dragons will have a similar coloring. Possibly bronze with a dark underbelly."

"Is there any more that we can get out of him?" Edward asked.

Sol shook his head. "Not possible. After spilling his guts, Darksun passed from the pain. His soul is now in judgement of the First." He then took a look at Solor, and seemed to notice something. "My son... you have claimed your mate?"

Solor blushed, fidgeting. "Does everyone know about this?"

Sol chuckled. "No. I just figured since you have a Light around you that you didn't before. I assume Kreinyol was your choice?" When his son didn't answer, Sol sighed. "I am... torn. As a leader, I am disappointed in you. However... as a father, I could not be happier." Solor's eyes widened, surprised by the statement. "I know you love her. And she loves you, in ways that surpasses any love I have seen in all four thousand years of my life." He then looked at Kreinyol, and suddenly, his eyes narrowed. "Wait... something is off..."

Solor and Kreinyol looked at each other, wondering what he was talking about.

_Is something wrong with Kreinyol?_ Solor thought, concern in his eyes.

However, she gasped, placing her hands over her mouth. "I-I heard that in my head!" she squeaked.

Sol's eyes widened, then he looked at Solor again. His eyes closed, as he sighed. "Edward, Solor, it is time to return to Lair. Now that Solor is soulbound as well, I think our determination of Breed Traitors has come into question. I do not mean that as a derogatory term, Kiinnum; it is time to question this tradition, as not one, but two dragons have become bonded to mortals. I will explain in detail when you arrive." And at that, Sol cut the communication short, leaving no room for question.

Solor looked up at the blank screen, wondering what the hell that was about. Then he turned back to Kreinyol, and thought again. [Kreinyol, can you hear me?]

She squeaked in surprise. "Husband, how are you speaking when your lips are not moving?"

Solor sighed. "As I thought... so I am bound to you now." Solor turned to Edward. "We must make haste to Lair. Sol will explain everything."

Edward piped up, "You two are soul-bonded, I think. It's not true telepathy because Rachael and I could talk telepathically before we were married. Yet, Raven can hear us quite well because we're on the same 'wavelength'. For you two, no matter what happens from here on out, you will never break up until Death claims one of you...and Solor?"

"Yes," he said.

"You need to keep her alive, and Starfire...you need to keep Husband Solor alive. When either of you die, the other one will pass shortly thereafter. Star, you also may have been given a gift greater than anyone here: Dragons are very long lived creatures. We have to confirm this with the others, but, you might live to be very old as well. Solor still has at least 1200 to 1400 years before he passes away, if he becomes the new Light of the Circle, he will join an exclusive club of immortal dragons and that would make you virtually immortal as well.

"I'm sorry, my dear Starfire. You cannot come with us right now. This is something that Solor and I must handle ourselves.

"But, you know how Rachael and I can talk without the communicators? You and Solor now have that same gift. Rachael and Raven can help you to learn how to close your mind when you want privacy. I will have to teach Solor as well so that you both can have mental privacy. You will know how each other feels as well. When Solor is angry, Star, you will know it. When she is saddened, Starborn, you will know. You are both responsible to take care of one another's heart as well as physical being. Something, I think, will no longer be a problem."

The two married couples gave their loved ones a hug and headed towards the roof. Edward went to him mini-Dragon form and Solor got on. Both worried about the Circle's reaction. Solor had just started to really earn the right to be back in his home and when the Circle found out, they would want to immediately banish him for good. All because of a law that had outlived its purpose.

Edward took to the air and asked, "Ready, brother?"

"Solor doesn't back down from a fight," was the reply.

Edward focused on the demolished volcano in the heart of Lair and teleported...

As soon as the dragons were gone, another figure appeared on the roof, the shadows washing away as his Dark magic faded. "So... Filkiin of the Light is a Breed Traitor... I must inform the Darkness!" With that, a Tear opened up, and he vanished once more.

Solor had no idea of how much danger he had just put his wife in.


	12. Edward and Solor on Trial!

**Chapter 12**  
**[Lair]**

Edward and Solor emerged over the old Volcano, only the Circle members were not there, just Sol and he motioned them to land.

Edward landed and Solor slid off.

"Greetings, Grand Light," Edward said. Solor said nothing, though, just averted his eyes, getting a sigh from Edward.

"I am at a loss here," Sol said, "For thousands of years, we have discouraged dragon-human relations by exiling those who broke the law.

"Now, we have a two dragons who have not only fallen in love with mortals but, both are soul-bound to them. Edward to his Raven and Starborn and his Starfire. And both sharing a deep love for one another. Edward was never bound by our laws, though, having been sent away to protect him.

"Starborn is answerable to that law and under that law, he's subject to permanent banishment. And, we have banished others before.

"But, as a father...I have to think of my remaining family at the expense of possibly losing my seat in the Circle. I couldn't be happier seeing Starborn and Kreinyol being together.

"It's time to cast off this outdated law. The Circle will be meeting to debate this soon, and, I will be on the side of throwing this out."

"Oh joy," Solor said, "I just got my title restored and for what? Someone else who...OUCH!" Edward nudged Solor, "Easy, Light Heir. Your father's on our side here. If he can be willing to reconsider a law that probably predates most of us, don't throw that away."

"What about all the others banished because of their love?" Solor asked, "Or the spouses of dragons who died fighting mortal wars?"

"They fought in human wars?" Sol asked, surprised.

"When I was in Washington, I saw the names of several of our people on a memorial wall. One of their wives came up and thanked me for protecting them. She already knew about dragons because her husband, before he was shipped out, told her the truth. Will those who are still alive be welcomed back and pardoned … and those who already passed on to the First be also pardoned, their crimes erased from the books?"

"If the Circle agrees to throw out the Breed Traitor law, we can entertain that idea," Sol said.

Edward smiled, "Don't worry if I see Breed Traitor as a slur. I understand the context you are using, so, I will not be offended.

"And, yes, it is time that the Circle reconsider this issue. Not because I am here, though. My mission was never to change your customs and traditions, Sol. You know my original intent was merely to help Starborn recover from what happened to him. Once that was done, Rachael and I would have gone back to our lives in our universe. But, the Trigon threat is coming faster than we thought. Your history has been altered and the timeline that you would have otherwise enjoyed is gone forever.

"The Circle should be willing to change, though. I see that some members want to hold onto the old ways, and others want to adapt to the changes. Sol where is the happy medium?"

"I don't know," he said.

"Any culture that stagnates is doomed to fail at some point," Edward said, "If this culture doesn't evolve, it will fall and the Darkness wins regardless of the outcome of this war. I've seen it too many times."

Edward sighed, "Also, what do we do with this general I captured? We cannot leave him to rot."

"He will be cremated," Sol said, "I have other dragons collecting the needed materials, but, not in Lair. We're pushing it considering that weaker Dark Dragon for a burial here. A general of the Traitor's forces? No, he will not get that courtesy."

Edward nodded, "Works for me. If a Dark Dragon sees it and reports back, all the better. It will shake their morale. Probably best if you didn't tell me of your methods of getting information, though."

"Probably right," Solor said, "Father was a chief interrogator when he was Heir to the Light."

Edward paled..._That's where Solor got some of his techniques._

"We might as well get this over with," Solor said, "I know if things do not go well, I will be banished...this time for life."

"Are you sure, my son?" Sol said, "We can sit on this information for a while?"

Solor looked at his father and said, "I am sure. If we kept this a secret, the Circle may take their wrath out on not just me, but, Edward and you as well. Banishment for Edward wouldn't bother him. But, if you are told to find another heir and then pass on your title … I could not live with that shame. Let them find out now and then, if they banish me, so be it. I will not take you down with me."

Sol was stunned. Two years ago, Solor would have thought nothing of hurting his father. Now, he was willing to take a lifetime banishment to protect his father from doing something they'd regret later.

Edward, however, was a proud dragon. He said, "I am surprised, Starborn. But, I am also very proud. I know that you both have come a long way. Sol's trying to make up for a long time of bad blood here...and Starborn's making the effort to make things up. I'm with Starborn here. The sooner we get this out of the way, the better off we'll be."

Sol nodded and said, "We will gather here in one hour, then."

"We will meet now, if you do not mind, Grand Light", came a voice that didn't sound amused. They turned to see the rest of the Circle, with Death at the lead.

_How in Oblivion did Earth sneak up on us? _Solor thought, confused. _Did they hear the whole thing?_

"What is this we hear of not only one, but two dragons being soul-bound?" asked Water, her body beginning to coil up as the Circle got into position. "One of my children overheard your conversation to that device the Titans have given you."

"I can answer that, Exalted Circle", said Solor, taking place in the center. "You know how Edward has claimed his mortal wife as a mate, correct?" When the Circle all nodded, Solor took a deep breath. "As we know, the act of claiming a mortal of a mate is punishable by banishment. Kiinnum has been exempt of this law, as he has been without the guidance of the Circle all three thousand years of his life. I, on the other hand... am not."

"Filkiin of the Light, are you saying that you have claimed Kreinyol of Tamaran as your mate, without the blessing of the Circle?" Life asked, her head up and alert.

"I have", said Solor. "And upon inspection and an incident following shortly thereafter, we discovered that not only have we claimed each other as mates... we are soul bound. When I die, she will die. When she dies, I will die."

Murmurs floated around them, as many dragons had come to the meeting. After all, the last time Solor was in the center of the Circle was when he attacked Death. They were curious to see what the Heir of the Light had done.

Death growled a bit. "This is unacceptable. I motion to banish this Traitor immediately. Humans are mortal, always have been. Allowing an Heir to marry a mortal is a sin against the First's design. And as much as it pains me to say it... we must cut off this blasphemous child from the rest of the family."

"Now, hold on, Death", said Life. "There is no harm in allowing one Mortal to live a much longer life. She will be punished enough for the both of them. Unable to bear a child for him... forced to live thousands of years longer than she will normally be able to... who is to say that this is not the First's own way of retribution? We may not have to punish Starborn at all, as his own foolish thinking has punished him enough."

Water looked down at Solor, and soon nodded. "Life is right, but for the wrong reasons. This is a time of change, where water would flow along a new path when hit with an obstacle. We can continue on the same path, and be absorbed into the ground, or we can find a new way, and continue our journey to the future."

Fire nodded. "I agree with Sister Water. There is a time to fight, and a time to concede. I would concede, and see what these new flames would bring."

So far, it looked like Death was alone on this battlefield.

Edward sighed, he really didn't have a say in the matter until someone in the Circle asked his opinion. He did not like what Death had said and was fuming. But, he knew that there was a time to talk and a time to keep one's mouth shut. This was a time to stay silent unless asked. It helped that Rachael was using their own link to help Edward maintain his composure, and, he didn't care if other Dragons knew that a "lowly mortal scum" was keeping one of their strongest dragons reasonably calm.

Finally, Earth kneeled down, and spoke. "Many traditions have been kept. Many traditions have been thrown away. And while many dragons have been forgiven for past transgressions... there is no forgiving the holiest of laws left for us by the first Circle being broken. Therefore... I move to punish Starborn... and the dragon known as Edward Barnes."

Immediately, an uproar filled the mountains. Many dragons were calling for him to take back what he said, to defend both Starborn and Edward. Many still were also calling for action to be taken, to punish the Breed Traitors. Solor let out a loud roar, suddenly silencing the others.

"No!" said Solor. "This trial is to determine my fate! Edward is exempt from our laws!"

"If Edward is to fight for us, then he is to abide by our laws. I have remained silent for too long", said Earth. "Edward Barnes, or Kiinnum, is to work alongside us, and obey our laws without question. He may live within a different universe, but he is still a child of the Circle. As his wife does not know the spell, nor he himself, he is hereby placed under the equivalent of house arrest until we have decided what to do. You will find teleporting to be very limited, Edward. Before this meeting, I asked many of my children to place a ward on Lair. No one can enter, and no one can leave until the Circle has decided your fate."

"Without the acknowledgement of the Circle?!" questioned Sol. "What has caused the Earth to crumble from fear?!"

"I am the strongest of us all, Grand Light", said Earth. "I could kill Edward right here and now if he challenged me. As could Death. And it is obvious that we have... issues with this ruling from all of our Brothers and Sisters. I will not allow anyone to leave or enter Lair until Edward Barnes and Solor are both punished for their transgressions." He turned his head down, glaring at Solor and Edward. "I will give you thirty minutes to state your defense. If you cannot change our minds... then I shall give you a Traitor's sending."

Edward was fuming. He knew that he was outmatched in the strength department. All it would take is a Roar from Grand Death to siphon off his strength.

[We have a problem, sweetheart,] Edward said, [The Circle is most displeased and have somehow limited my teleportation abilities...and don't try to come to Lair. It's been blocked.]

[Dang,] she said, [What's going on?]

[Looks like Solor and I are on trial!]

[WHAT?!] she roared.

[Calm down, sweetheart,] Edward said, [Start researching the spells needed to bust through, if needed. If you do not hear from me in the next few hours, please return to our universe, get Zatanna, and return to this universe. The Dragons will not be able to stop that from happening.]

[All right,] she replied.

Edward took a calming breath, knowing that getting angry would not help their case at all, then, he took another. He also moved to the center of the circle, standing next to Solor.

"Exalted Circle," he said, "You are correct that I could not defeat Grand Earth in a physical battle or even Grand Death...and I would be a fool to try that. But, I have something that is even stronger than any dragon or any mortal that has ever lived, even Superman can be laid low by this and it is love. Love for one's fellow man or in our case Dragons. Love cannot be told who to infect. The Starfire I know, from my universe once said 'One's heart cannot be told who to love'.

"One can have a racial hatred, but, even that crumbles in the face of Love. And, this is what this boils down to. It boils down to love. Starborn's love for Kreinyol has overcome the efforts of the Traitor and Vilea's vile rape of Starborn. Forgive me, brother, for what I must say in our defense." Solor nodded his assent.

"I was in the mind of Starborn recently, to help him to heal from this unspeakable horror. Darkness tried to extinguish the Light and Vilea almost did. She tore him to shreds on the inside while forcing him to sire several twilight eggs. Isn't a mix of light and dark an abomination in your eyes?" There were murmurs of agreement through the crowd.

"Yet, when I was there, and the initial cowardly act was replayed in Starborn's memories, Kreinyol wanted so bad to rescue him that I was forced to stay her wrath lest she destroy Starborn's essence and his memories. My own mate used her powers to also hold Kreinyol back. And we did that because of love. Love for Starborn, love for Kreinyol. I convinced the Circle that war was coming. The dragons here respected my show of strength. But, compared to what I feel for my mate, that is even stronger. Kreinyol took down a Dark Dragon in the human capital city of Washington, DC showing her strength. Yet, the love between them two makes even that impressive feat look like a weak newborn baby.

"I have acceded to the wishes of the Circle since I came back to Lair. They asked me to be their general, and I agreed to that and to also take orders from the Circle or whoever their representative/messenger was. Whether it was Grand Light, or Grand Earth, or even if Grand Death were to ask me to put to death a prisoner of war. I would do so.

"I have followed your rules and laws to the best of my ability, Exalted Circle, as well. That is my nature.

"Yet, I spent my entire life, save for a small amount of time as a hatchling and the last few weeks here in Lair, having the same culture shock that Solor did in my universe. Not from the mortal world, though, from being here, with other dragons of my own species. For three thousand years, I believed that I was the last of my kind...the only one of my species to even exist, and I thanked God, or the First if you will because in our religious tomes, God is called the Alpha. Greek for "First". Love is His greatest gift to His Children. In one of the religions, the Son of God came down from the Heavens and preached about love and he was brutally crucified for that! I was there for that event and I could not help because the First told me that it was His will. He said, "My child, This is My Will, for My only son to die, to pay the price for all mankind's sins." And, I obeyed His Voice, and all because His Son loved everyone so much that he suffered for that and perished. Yet, three days later, the First brought His Son back from the dead.

"And, the First, in the Holy Books, teaches forgiveness. Exalted Circle, several days ago, Starborn and I were talking on the roof of the very Tower the brave solders of Lair helped to defend. I told Starborn that he had been forgiven for his weakness by those people who love him as a brother. He had been forgiven by Kreinyol. Sol has not called him a Traitor to his people and even now, is not calling us Traitors! But, Starborn had not yet asked for forgiveness from the First. And as I watched, a beam of light broke through the cloudy day and struck Starborn as he knelt down and asked for forgiveness. Was that a coincidence? It was not. It was the First showing that Love Forgives All.

"Starborn asked this body to allow this relationship to happen. Neither of us knew that two souls would be tied together to tightly that the same aspect that makes a dragon die shortly after their mate does would apply to them. Even I did not know that.

"What about you, though," Grand Light asked, "Are you soul-bonded with Ruuvak?"

"She is half-demon," Edward replied, "She will live a long life because of who her father is, but, we've been mind-linked since we met and rescued a girl from a stone prison. We were able to rescue this girl, Terra, and then went into her mind to help her heal. Who knows? Maybe the act of the rescue soul-bonded Ruuvak and myself. But, that doesn't negate the love I have for her. In my darkest days, she is there to be that calming effect on me. In her darkest days...and being a half-demon, there are many of those, I am her strong rock. And, together, we are the rock that our friends depend on. Terra and I enjoy a strong friendship because I love her like she is a little sister, yet, her heart is taken by a shapeshifter named Beast Boy in two universes, and I wouldn't have that any other way."

Edward sighed, but, he knew he wasn't done yet.

"I never claimed an exemption from your laws, members of the Circle. And I never came here to change your society and customs. That was the farthest thing from my mind. But, I am sorry. My love for my mate is too strong for me to walk away. I would feel like a piece of me has died, and, it is a feeling I never want to feel again. When Trigon almost flipped her, and she declared that she never loved me, I was wounded in a way that no one, man or Dragon should ever be. I fought back then. Even her soul-self finally shattered under that and after tearing out Trigon's throat, one of her personified emotions raced to me. It was Love that pulled me out of a deep pit that day. That's how strong Love is. That's how strong our feelings are for each other.

"So, yes, I am guilty of being capable of loving someone who loves me back, unconditionally and without shame. I am guilty of letting the First bind our souls together in Love. Because, even the strongest of us, even Earth, crumbles before love. Even Fire, which burns through anything, is extinguished by love. Water is warmed by love, and I have seen so many times something that the same Holy Man I mentioned earlier said. 'There is no greater love than this: Than a man lays down his life for a friend.' How many of our brothers have laid their lives down for you? How many are willing to do so now? Love has even ended wars and defeated Death. Love brings life into the world. And, love is the Light that defeats Darkness.

"Am I a traitor? I would be if I abandoned my mate! I would be if I walked away from my duty to help you as well.

"Yet, some of you are blinded by this concept that the First gives the gift of love to all his Children, Dragon and human alike. So, I ask you: Is that a crime? Is loving someone a crime? I submit that the First forgives all, even when His law is broken.

"Before you accuse me of blasphemy, I would relate to you one of the stories in the Christian Bible of a man named Moses who led his people out of slavery. They were in the middle of the desert when God gave him ten simple commandments. Moses went up a mountain for 40 days getting these laws, and, the people grew restless and asked for a physical god to bow down to and Moses' brother relented and gathered up gold and melted it down to form a golden calf. As they were celebrating, the sounds of partying were heard by Moses, descending the mountain with two tablets of stone. When Moses saw the false idol, he roared out his anger, smashing the stone tablets. God was angered greatly by this! Yet, Moses climbed back up to ask that God stay his hand of wrath and forgive his people! God relented and said that he forgave His Children.

"King David committed grave sins against God's LAW, and he was forgiven. David lusted after another man's wife, mated with this woman, and when the woman's husband refused to have sex with her, to cover up her pregnancy, David ordered that the man be placed where he would likely die. He was, indeed, killed and in the eyes of the First...that was breaking three of his highest laws to mankind and the punishment was to be taken out of the city and stoned to death.

"Yet, David hit his knees and cried for forgiveness. He was forgiven.

"When Jesus was on his Cross, he said, 'Forgive them, Father. They know not what they do.' That stayed God's hand instead of an angel of Death smiting all who lived. All these cases of forgiveness and pardon, even when the Law was broken, showed Love."

"So, I humbly ask that for Starborn and Myself, for your pardon and to allow us to carry on in defense of your land and your people. Then, when all is said and done in this war, if the Circle still wishes to not follow these examples, Ruuvak and I will leave, as well Starborn and Kreinyol. We will leave this universe to its devices and sever all contact. Because, we will not sever our relationships with our loved ones. We stand bravely as men ought to. If that means we both die, here and now...Ruuvak and my Titans shall accord us due honor."

Edward was out of words to say and he wasn't sure if he could work a miracle or not here. He averted his gaze as well.

Grand Earth looked at Starborn and said, "What say you in your defense, Starborn? I ask you to at least show the same respect that Kiinnum shows us."

Solor frowned, thinking about what to say. So far, Edward's words did a lot more than anything Solor could have said. However, there was a little bit of convincing left to do. Solor thought long and hard about it. And he decided.

He laid down, stretching his neck out as long as it could go. "I will not run. I will not fight. I will die the death you decide, Exalted Circle."

Sol frowned, and was about to speak out, when Solor continued. "But know this... I die with my beloved. I will take her into my arms, and I will watch as this world burns without my or Edward's help. I pray that you will succeed in this war... but if it is the will of the First that I die tonight, then so be it. And while I respect Edward's offer... I have been avoiding my own blame. I have been avoiding my own guilt. But no longer. I will not run, not from this, not from anyone. I will fight for my love with Kreinyol, to the very end."

Edward also stretched out his neck and said, "This is the only way to kill me, Exalted Circle...take my head if you must. If I must die because of this law, though, know that Trigon will destroy you all and Darkness shall extinguish Light."

There was silence for a while. Earth stared down at Solor, taking time to process this all. Eventually, a slow grin formed on his face. "Starborn of the Light, you truly deserve the title of Heir." He stood up. "I change my motion. I hereby ask that the Breed Traitor law be thrown out, and all dragons previously punished by this law to be forgiven and granted access to Lair again. The words of these two have moved me, and I feel the truth behind them. What we have been keeping... it is not the will of the First. Therefore, from this day forward... the term Breed Traitor is officially no longer a phrase in our vocabulary."

Edward's jaw dropped, as did Solor's. But, they both knew that the others need to be polled and it might not be fun.

"I second Grand Earth's amended motion," said Grand Life.

"What say you, Grand Water?" Sol asked.

"Water has found its way," she replied, "water washes away things that are no longer needed, and despite Kiinnum's legitimate denials that he isn't here to change us on purpose, he has changed us unintentionally. I say, yes, it is time to allow true love to blossom and to show that even the Circle can be forgiving, merciful, and welcoming."

"What say you, Grand Earth?" It was a formality, but, it needed to be asked.

"I have already stated my feelings, they, like Earth, are solid," was the rumbled reply.

"What say you, Life?"

"Starborn and Kiinnum are examples of life finding a way to overcome obstacles," she said, "While Kiinnum has spent his life away from us, he gives a lifetime of perspective from a joint dragon and human outlook. Yes, it is time that life, and Dragons evolve."

"What say you, Fire?" Sol asked.

"Fire burns the dross and spares the silver and gold," Grand Fire said, "If it is the Will of the First to let fire burn away this law, then, so be it."

Sol nodded, "As Grand Light, I have never been prouder of my rightful Heir as I am now. The last time he was on trial, he committed an act of Treason against one of us and was sentenced to banishment in lieu of Death. Today, he said that he is willing to accept even the ultimate punishment. He has come full circle and, for his bravery, I also agree. It is time that the Circle reflect the light. But, I have one request and that is Kiinnum learn our ways as time permits. He is, as stated, a Child of the Circle and a Child of the First. We expect him to follow the rest of our laws, and, from what I have seen about him, he tries to abide by the laws placed by the humans honorably, and, I would ask the same courtesy of him for us. We never enforced averting his gaze, yet, now, he does. He's one of the strongest ones outside of the Circle, and, he humbled himself in the manner of our customs."

Edward nodded and replied, "I would like that, very much. Starborn has agreed to teach me your customs, but, knowing your other laws better, benefits all. If I may, I would ask for a pardon of all dragons who have joined the First already, and their true names be spoken once more."

By then, the assembled dragons were in shock. Kiinnum had taken a long time to give a defense of himself and swayed many of those who were screaming for him to be banished, Trigon's invasion be damned. But, it wasn't that Kiinnum would actually try to leave before the war was over, it was that, maybe, it was time for Dragons to learn to live in harmony with the humans of this world. Kiinnum had obviously, in their opinion, managed to live for a long time in a mortal world and came away stronger for it. By then, it was clear that even if Grand Death would object, he was outvoted.

And Starborn's submitting to his fate to them, was a complete turnaround from the last time he faced off against the Circle and lost in a big way. They remembered his burnt scales from Grand Death's flame attack, but, only a few knew that Grand Death almost sent Starborn to the First.

Now, Starborn was willing to die for the woman he loved.

"Finally, Grand Death...what say you?" asked Sol.

Grand Death looked at the fellow members of the Circle. Everyone stood on one side of the line. And here he was, alone. Finally, he spoke.

"Death cares not for the love of a human and a dragon. Love may conquer death when the First chooses... but Death is the only absolute." He looked down at the two dragons. "You wish to mate with mortals? Very well. I will forgive you for that. Only when the day comes that it is time for Death to take you, do not ask for forgiveness then. For Death cares not for love. It can be between Dragons and canines, for all I care." He turned. "I will vote to pass this motion. If only to atone for a sin I have committed."

Sol growled instinctively, but soon sighed. "Very well. Then it is unanimous. All of the Circle has decided to abolish the Breed Traitor Law." He turned to the dragons watching them. "My children! Find your brothers and sisters! Share the good news! They are, at last, welcome home!"

Many dragons roared in agreement, and after dispelling the barrier around Lair, many dragons began to leave, to find their families and share the good news. Solor, meanwhile, glared at Death.

"You mean to make up for almost murdering me?" Death stared, surprised, when Solor stepped up. "My father told me. I barely remember it. You almost killed me that day... with your blessing."

Everyone in the Circle all glared at Death, the most disapproving looks on their faces. Death shifted uncomfortably.

"How dare you", said Fire. "You know punishment is not to be meted out until the Circle has decided. It is one thing to rough up the Heir to the Light... but to murder him in cold blood?"

Edward thought about interrupting, but, decided against it. This was something that the Circle needed to fix and Fire sounded incensed enough as it was.

[Trial's already over,] Edward said to Raven, [They have repealed their law, but, while I can teleport of here at will … I think that the leader of the Fire clan is quite angry at the leader of the Death Clan. I don't think I can physically stop them. I'm overpowered immensely.]

"What cold blood?" Death objected, "He attacked me. I was defending myself."

"I had no chance against you, Grand Death!" Solor said, "Yes, I am guilty of attacking you, but, you held me down, breathed your flame, and instead of hauling me here to be banished or even executed, you took upon yourself to use your Blessing against me without the sanction of the rest of the Circle. That's not justice! That's murder." He was calm as he said that, but, the effect it had was not going to be a good one for Grand Death.

Grand Death tried to deflect the sudden anger from the Circle, "Oh, what about Grand Earth telling his clan to barricade us all?"

"Do not attempt to compare that with attempted murder," Sol said, "I have held my own tongue for far, far too long. You were using your Blessing against my own son when you already had defeated him and you had him pinned down. How dare you undertake that against any Dragon when the law handed down from the first Circle says that the Circle shall mete out punishment as a whole, never individually, and that includes death sentences! Do not attempt to justify what you tried to do. Had you succeeded, Starborn would not be here and Moonlight would have died of a broken heart. I was still mourning the loss of my brood and I could not allow you to kill my family, even if you think it was justifiable to do so. None of the Circle would have tolerated another Dark Uprising and, Grand Death, what is YOUR defense for this? Give me a reason I should not make a motion to force you to step aside and let your Heir take your place within our hallowed ranks. And something else: Had you killed my son ... we'd all be sitting ducks. Banishing my son was the best thing that could haven happened to this planet!"

Meanwhile, Edward was taking this all in. He was crossing his talons mentally that the Circle would be able to move passed this and stay united. He had no say, so, kept his peace.

"Doesn't the Circle punish treason?" Grand Death asked.

"Of course WE do," Grand Earth stated, "AS A BODY, not as an individual. You violated one of our own rules, Grand Death. We're still waiting to hear your defense or I will motion that the charges against Starborn be erased, that he is declared pardoned, and you be censured or banished for an amount of time that the Circle determines to be sufficient. As we gave Starborn and Kiinnum 30 minutes to allow them to make a defense, we will give you. Kiinnum, you are welcome to watch, but, please remain silent."

Edward nodded his assent, "I wasn't going to say anything, regardless."

Death looked at the Circle, and stared at them all in turn of each other. He stared them down. "I am the oldest of us all. And... I will admit. I made a lapse in judgement." He sighed, prostrating himself. "I have... made mistakes. And I will admit, there is no excuse for it." He looked down at Solor. "As much as I hate to say it... I may have overreacted. But my decision stands. Starborn of the Light deserved to die for his transgressions, but to be banished... it was not right. We upheld the law of the Circle for countless generations. And now... I suppose it is time to make changes." He let out a low grumble. "When this war is over, I will be the first to allow my heir to take over. I am bound by honor to do so. He is a good child; he will not make my mistakes ever again."

Earth and the others remained silent, and looked at each other. Eventually, Sol looked at Death. "Very well. When this war is over, we will go through the ceremony to replace you."

Earth nodded as well. "We accept this motion. As it is the middle of a war, we do not have time to teach someone how to control the powers of the Blessing of Death."

Edward sighed with relief, the Circle would stay united in the face of War. Grand Death accepted responsibility for his overreaction, even was "man" enough to stand by his original decision. He could respect that.

Starborn also sighed even though he had no say in the matter. He was satisfied with Grand Death's decision to step aside.

"Starborn and Kiinnum," Grand Earth said, "You are free to go. This meeting of the Circle is concluded."

"There is something I would like to say," Edward said, "Grand Death, you might be the oldest out of all members of the Exalted Circle, but, in some areas, you are an idiot. I have always striven to use the amount of force necessary to deal with a threat. Even today, if Starborn were to physically attack you like he did then, he would be defeated. I could defeat Starborn in either a sparring match or even for real given what you all blessed me with, but, I would not stoop so low as to try to end his life. The roughing up in defense, I can justify in my own mind, but, to take it to the next level and commit attempted murder? That's low in anyone's standards who fight for what is right. It's like me, killing some low-life on the street for daring to look me in the face. Your actions that day almost doomed this universe!

"One other thing, Death itself is something that mortals face and I beg to disagree with you on one further point: I have seen countless instances where not even the Grim Reaper or Celesta or whoever represents Death can keep a couple who truly love each other apart for very long. In my universe, the people I befriended in 1750, were one such couple. When David died after suffering a heart attack, I knew in my soul that his beloved Angela would follow soon after. I was right. She withered away and not even six months after I helped bury David, I returned to help bury his wife. I've seen couples where one half dies and hours later, the other also is touched by Celesta. Even then, love defeats death, because if even a mortal death kills an everlasting love, then, there is nothing to live for.

"I will overlook the implication that I am married to a dog, this one time. But, I strongly suggest that no other dragon even dares to attack my beloved in that manner."

Grand Death looked like he was about to lace into Edward only to see the other members of the Circle glaring right at him, as if to say, "I'd say nothing, if I were you." So, Grand Death unfurled his wings and took to the air.

With that, the assembled Dragons went their ways. Some back to their broods, the others to continue their preparations for war.

Solor walked over to Edward and said, "How do you do that? You came up with a brilliant defense on the fly. I could not have spoken so well."

"It's a gift, brother," Edward said humbly, "We got lucky, though. The Circle could have very well have not accepted this and we'd be looking at banishment or worse. But, I was impressed by your defense or the lack therein. It was a good gamble, throwing yourself on their mercy. But, what was not smart: Calling Grand Death out like that. The rest of the Circle may have supported him anyway. But, no sense in chiding you further on it.

"And, I agree with Grand Earth: You deserve your title back. You have much to learn before Grand Light decides to retire, though. And one of those is setting aside your pride. A lesson you are still learning, though, and very well. I didn't sense or see any anger in that last exchange."

"I expected you to intervene," Solor said.

"I had no say in what was strictly an internal issue," Edward said, shrugging, "I wanted to, but, they would have asked me to butt out of it. And, in their own way, they did, but, I had already decided to keep my silence and spectate. That's why I waited until the Meeting was officially concluded to say my peace to that idiot."

Solor nodded. "Now... to focus on the war. As much as I want to postpone it... we need to prepare for an infiltration of the Dark Lair. We now know Vilea is in there. And she has laid at least two eggs. If there are more, we can destroy them all while one of us fights off the mother."

"True", said Edward, "but you have to remember that we may have a lot of other dragons bearing down on us once we find her. She will not likely want to fight us alone. I know I said earlier that I would prefer that you not fight Vilea alone. I'm withdrawing that statement. One who is strong enough and brave enough to do what you did here tells me that you can handle her if needed."

Solor pondered this. "I... I need to think. Do you mind if I speak to Kreinyol? I will discuss this with her."

Edward nodded. "Go ahead. I can't stop you, nor would I if I had the power." Solor smiled, and bowed his head respectfully, before flapping his wings and taking off. He needed emotional support for this mission, and he left Edward alone, who most likely wanted to share what he learned with his wife as well.

"I have to meet with the others under my command," Edward thought, "After this sham trial, I got my work cut out for me. And if I ever find out who threw Solor and I under the bus, they may regret it." Edward was not happy that one of the dragons had done that and considered teleporting back to the Tower, getting his Raven and leaving. He'd offer to take Solor and his wife back if he decided that it was not worth the trouble to work with close-minded individuals. He'd play it by ear, though. If his solders were able to move beyond their prejudices, he'd stay. If not, he would be long gone, traitor or not. But, deep down, he also knew that he had to stay and fight this war. The Circle had granted him his very life and to walk away would be spitting in their faces.

And Grand Death, Edward marked as someone not to be trusted. Edward realized that Grand Death only looked out for himself. He attempted to murder Starborn for no logical reason. Grand Death easily defeated Starborn yet tried to carry out the ultimate sentence without the sanction of the Circle. Edward couldn't stand those who acted as judge, jury and executioner, so, until Grand Death kept his word to step aside, Edward would not trust him. It just was immoral to Edward's mindset, period, and Grand Death trying to rationalize attempted murder with "Oh, he deserved death for attacking me" was no better than some gang-banger in Jump City murdering someone just for looking cross-eyed at them. Grand Death was not worthy of being in the Circle because he crossed a line from just and proper use of forces to excessive and unreasonable force being used. If he was willing to kill a dragon not even a third of Edward's age for an utterly pointless attack, were there other instances where Grand Death acted as judge, jury and executioner?

_How many others have died because Grand Death made the decision to outright kill them for slights? How many have died due to his Blessing? And, do I have that power? And if I do have that power, what is to stop me from using it on some low life punk? He said it's borderline Dark._

It was a moral problem for Edward as he took wing and teleported to the Tower, glad it was working. He needed the time to think and to process everything that had happened … and to prepare for a magical defense should they try to imprison him again on some bullcrap.

It was also time to see if his intimate contact with Rachael had allowed him to absorb some of her powers.

Solor, meanwhile, had found his way to his own cave. Once he was there, he began reaching out through his mental link.

[Kreinyol? Are you there?]

After a moment, there was a reply. [Husband Solor? Is that you?]

[Yes], he said, relieved. He smiled. [I am glad you know how to respond... I'll admit, this is new to me as well. Are you alright?]

[Yes, I am. What happened? There was a lot of rage... and then sorrow, and now relief.]

Solor relayed everything to her, from the return to Lair to the decision of what would happen to Death. [And now... Edward and I know we must infiltrate the Dark Lair. This is where it gets tricky. I am... afraid of what will happen.]

[If you die, then I shall join you, shall I not?] Kreinyol asked.

[That is... debatable], said Solor. [I did not expect my father to ignore this detail... when I am executed, or die of old age, then yes, you shall die with me. However... if I die in battle... our bond will be severed. And... you will forever feel a hole where our love bound us. It is to give you a chance to find a new mate, and start a new family. If I am killed by Vilea... then I do not know what will happen.]

There was silence. Then a warm, comforting presence in his head. [Then you will not lose. I know you, Solor. I know you will not fall so easily. If you die in battle... then I will join you. After I have slain Vilea myself.]

[Kreinyol, no] Solor responded. [I want you to promise me... if I die... I want you to live on. Find yourself someone who loves you as much as I do... even more... and let them be there for you.]

[Then promise me that you will return to me] Kreinyol countered. [And promise me... when you return... we have a wedding. A mortal wedding. As much as you and I know that we're married... I want everyone on this world and Tamaran to know our love as well.]

Solor smiled, and nodded. [If that is what you wish my wife... then I shall give you the best wedding in the history of mortals.]

The two enjoyed their chat, focusing on things other than the war, while Edward made his way to his wife. They needed this; despite their words to each other, this was probably the last conversation they would have in a long time.

And they kept talking to each other, well into the night.

**[Titan Tower]**

Edward landed on the roof and went downstairs after morphing back and located Rachael. Once there, he was able to let his guard down as Rachael went over to him.

"Sweetheart?" she asked, seeing his mood, "What's wrong?"

"I'm thinking this might be a mistake," he said sighing, "I feel as is I was lured to Lair just to have the Circle turn on me, like they did with Solor a few years ago. They said that they were fine with you and I being together and they threatened to kill Solor and I because we dared to get married. How can I hope to lead these dragons into battle if a lot of them are prejudiced despite the Circle eventually relenting? They insist that I follow their laws. OK, Fine, I can do that, but, if one of their laws goes against my moral code, then we're going to have to rethink our duty here. They tried to hold me accountable to a law that has no jurisdiction in our world saying that it did not matter, that I am a Child of the Circle and that their laws hold sway even there. I could see it if I had lived here all my life and bound to their laws and traditions. But, I didn't. They sent me away instead!

"Sure, they went and bless me with a lot of stuff...yet, they showed their true colors today. I'm glad that they saw reason, but, to imprison me for not following their stupid laws in another universe? No, I'm not going to tolerate that again. They said that you don't know a spell to counteract their barriers. Which is why I need you to sneak back home and get Zatanna or Dr. Fate to teach you how to overcome a barrier to teleportation. We take great pains to ensure that a villain deserves to be behind bars, yet, they waited until Solor and I returned to spring a trap."

Rachael pulled her husband, who was showing signs that he was slowly losing control, into a hug to sooth his anger.

"Sweetheart," she said, "It's all right. You cannot let a wounded ego rule here. The Circle did what they thought was best, and, they couldn't have known that it would be helping to set a very big stage for this final act in a long struggle."

Edward's anger was rising to dangerous levels as the indignity of the whole thing came back to him to the point that the other Raven came knocking to see what she could do.

"Edward, it's Raven," she called through the door, "may I come in?"

Edward said, "Sure, might as well it a party."

Raven entered and sat down.

"I know you're angry, Edward", said the younger Raven. "And what happened... well, I don't know all the details. But from what I understand, the Circle didn't hold you in as high a favor as they did before. I was afraid of that happening again."

"What do you mean, again?" Edward asked.

"The Circle doesn't just consider dragons their responsibility. The whole world is theirs to protect, and they can't afford to choose favorites. That's what Solor has told me." She lowered her head. "The reason that they punished Solor so harshly, and would have killed him was because there was not only the fact that he committed a serious crime... but he was receiving a lot of special treatment for his placement. And what happened to you is no different. They needed to show that despite your power, and your wisdom and your understanding... you were as much a soldier as everyone else is. Dragons are swayed by strength. And as much as you are equal... at the same time, you are not." She shook her head. "I know, it doesn't make sense. But... there are legends about why the Breed Traitor law was put into effect.

"Apparently, one thing Darkness found out about themselves is that they have the ability to breed with humans. They used to bolster their defenses with these half human, half dragon hybrids. However, no hybrid is the same, and thus they gave birth to some of the more despicable monsters of this world. The things that go bump in the night... monsters that belong only in our nightmares. They are the result of human and dragon relations. So, before things got too out of hand... the Dragons of the first Circle cast a spell to ensure that these monsters could never be born again. But that wasn't until after their greatest enemy ever was born."

"Who is this enemy?" Rachael asked. "Who did they give birth to?"

Raven remained silent for a moment, before she looked up, tears in her eyes. "The only thing that can bring fear to the dragons... is Trigon the Terrible."

The shock was very present. But Raven had to continue. "Trigon isn't as old as he claims... but his power has grown so much over the millions of years, that he might as well be. He was born from a human and a Dark dragon, and is the father of all demons. He was taken down, and banished... but that was the Circle's biggest mistake. He learned how to go to other dimensions... and thus, his power grew. He is so strong now... that not even the first Circle can kill him permanently."

Rachael gasped. "So... that means..."

"Edward didn't kill Trigon. He is very much alive. The most he did... was seal him from your universe."

Edward groaned, "Freaking wonderful...Just wonderful. I get rid of the son of a bitch in my universe, now, I have to try to clean up the Circle's mistake? It would take every dragon in this realm to defeat Trigon and it still might not be enough short of feeding Trigon a 100 MT nuclear device!"

Raven sniffed a bit. "You don't have to fight him anymore. If you want to run, then run. Take my counterpart and get as far away from here." Raven covered her eyes, as her hair began to float from her emotional outburst. "Just... leave. Before he finds you. Because if he finds you... he will not kill you. He will make your life a living hell as you watch him kill her." She then suddenly calmed down.

When she looked up, her eyes were red.

"So... this is the dragon who married Raven's counterpart?" came Rage's voice. "What are you going to do, salamander? Run with your tail between your legs? For what? Because the Circle gave you a timeout?" She shook her head. "Then run! Run to your precious universe! Run and NEVER come back! Even if Raven believes that Trigon cannot be beaten... I'm gonna prove her wrong!"

Rachael stared in shock. "R-Rage? Why are you so vested in this? You're the one closest to Trigon! Why would you fight him?"

"Because, Big Sis", Rage sneered, "Nothing makes me angrier than watching a spoiled brat cry and pout just because things didn't go his way." She glared at Edward next. "Acting like your life is so hard, when there's people willing to give their mortal lives for everyone. They do it because they know they can die, but they want to save others if it means they die. What's your excuse for running away, Edward Barnes? What's your excuse for letting your friends... your BROTHER... fight? Don't give me that look. You know Solor will never abandon us." She smirked. "So what's it gonna be? Are you gonna stay and fight? Or are you gonna give up because for once in your life, you LOST?"

Edward looked at Rage and snarled, "You little BITCH! How dare you challenge me and my honor. You may be Rachael's counterpart, but, she has never questioned my honor! And, guess what? I have lost battles before, Rage. Some were physical fights, some were when humans did not want to do as I requested and I could not force them to comply, especially when I was forced to hide what I am. Maybe you weren't paying attention, but, I freaking DIED! I tasted of Death's bitter cup accepting their blessings. So do not presume to know that I have not tasted of death! I have seen my closest friends drink from that cup and I mourned their loss! When these Titans grow old and die, they will take a part of me with them! Do you understand how that would feel? No, because Trigon's evil is still within you. Rachael knows how it feels. She knows what it is to mourn. Twice now, she thought me dead. Twice, my Titans had to console her because they thought me dead and gone. OK, I got knocked down more than a few pegs. OK, I'm having some culture shock, but, guess what. I did not run from Grand Death's blessing. I did not run when I fought Daddy Dearest...and I am NOT GONNA RUN NOW! Your father's ass is MINE! You got me? Now I want Raven back or so help me, I shall knock you through the wall!"

Rage, on the other hand, wasn't angry at all. In fact, she smirked. "Prove me right, Edward. Our lives depend on you." With that, Rage let go of control, allowing Raven to collapse from the stress. Edward, thinking quickly, caught her, making sure the emoticlone wasn't in control anymore.

"I... think you gave her an answer she wanted", said Rachael. "I don't think she was trying to question your honor... she wanted you to see something else." Rachael suddenly smiled. "I think she wanted to hear you say that you won't run... not when you have a personal interest in this war."

Edward put Raven on their bed before replying, "Well, she did question my honor, Rae. And, yes, it's always been personal, my dear. Why do you think I couldn't walk away? Duty demands that I stay. Honor demands that I stay. They saved my life and that's something that I cannot overlook, either, I might be angry at some members of the Circle, but, I do understand where they are coming from more. So, will we run away with our tails between our legs...on your cloak dragging? No, we cannot. The Circle needs to see that as well, I suppose. They made their point and they voluntarily decided to scrap that law. But, did they just make a huge mistake that will come back to haunt them? Maybe they did. Have I interfered with their development without meaning to? If so, then my other responsibility is to undo any damage." He had calmed down after telling Rage off, and, Rachael was right: She played him like a fiddle. And, Rage was right as well. Edward was not thinking clearly, letting his embarrassment and anger get to him. But, having vented on Rage, Edward was calmer and thinking clearly.

He bent down and kissed Raven in the forehead, "Rage...Thank you. Thank you for reminding me of my duty here. I will prove you right, even if it does cost me everything."

Raven sat up a few moments later and asked, "What happened? Feels like Trigon stomped all over my skull." She took a look at Edward, and squinted her eyes a bit. "Hey, Edward? Did anyone ever tell you your aura is... off? I can see what looks like my powers circling around you..."

Rachael took a better look, and nodded as well. "Yeah, she's right. It's like your attracting shadows around you... is it part of you being a hybrid? Or do you think...?"

Edward, however, did not know what they were talking about. He looked at his hand, and didn't see any darkness. But that gave him an idea. He focused... and spoke three words.

"Azarath... Metrion... Zinthos."

With that, a lamp got covered in a dark aura, and floated into the air. For a second, it shuddered, before suddenly shooting across the room, harmlessly flying out of the window.

Raven's eyes widened. "Well... that's new."

[Think of it as a little wedding gift], came Rage's voice. [I noticed despite your intimacy with Big Sis... you couldn't use her powers. Not fully, anyway. So, I tweaked your aura a bit when you came into contact with Raven. Now, you and her should be equal in everything but control.]

"Oh my!" Edward said, "This is … I don't know what to say."

"So, 'Mr. Preach at them will they give in' is actually speechless?" Rachael said with a smirk, "Guess Raven and I will have to teach you control of those powers, as well as your emotions because they will react."

Edward nodded, "Yeah, I know, girls. Lots of meditation and a lot of control."

[Use that to keep us alive... and that'll be all the thanks I need] Rage said. With that, her presence faded from Edward's mind.

Raven sighed. "Well, I guess having another dragon as a student won't be so bad... as long as you don't have Solor's anger issues." She turned. "We start immediately. I'd ask Starfire to join us... but I think she and Solor are having fun talking to each other while they can."

Rachael nodded. "I agree with Raven. The sooner we nip your lack of control in the bud, the better it will be."

Edward sighed. "Just when I start to settle down, something else rears its head." He smirked. "Fine. Let's get started."

It was gonna be a long training session for the three magic users. But nothing could prepare them for the trials to come.

Meanwhile, in Greece, the first egg began to move.


	13. Hell in a Handbasket

**[****Chapter 13]****  
****[Dark Lair - Three Days Later]**

Vilea observed her eggs. A couple days ago, one of them had begun moving. Now, all three were occasionally twitching, which meant one thing.

The eggs were ready to hatch.

She was thrilled. After all of this time, the eggs were ready. She told a dragon to go get her father, and that was what she was waiting for now.

Finally, after a moment, Grand Darkness arrived, seeing the three eggs. He frowned. "Only three?"

"I know, I am disappointed as well", said Vilea. "After a full week of breaking that insect, and all I get are three children. But one is enough for the ceremony. The other two will be raised as warriors, for your army, Father. Just like in the old days... these will not be incompatible with humans. They can give children to humans. And we can bring back the Behemoths and Leviathans of this world, and eradicate all in our way."

Grand Darkness grinned. "Very good, my daughter. I expected nothing less." He then turned. "Now... if you'll excuse me, I have a war to engage. And expect some company; I intend to bring back my mortal grandchildren."

"Wait, what?" Vilea asked, surprised. "I thought I was your only daughter?"

"You are. My only legitimate one, anyway", the Traitor said. "But the whole point of this mission isn't to bring an end to the world.

"It's a family reunion."

**[Titan's Tower]**

The two Ravens had begun their morning routine, traveling to the roof with Edward in tow to begin meditating. Over the last couple days, Edward had made leaps and bounds on his training. Probably because he was used to meditating alongside his wife, Rachael, so he had an advantage there. And Raven was working alongside them because despite her age compared to Edward, she still had more experience than the dragon.

Little did they know that all of that experience would leave them nothing.

As Raven was meditating, she felt a tugging at her mind. And immediately she recognized it. The same thing happened when Solor was banished to Edward's universe. She opened her eyes, gasping. "Guys... get ready to fight", she said, grunting a bit as she felt her body slowly losing control. She may have some more resistance now, but the assault was brutal and unrelenting even in the slightest. "I think we... have company..." With that, her eyes turned a dark red, as she succumbed to the possession.

"There we go... possession complete", came a serpent-like voice. Raven stood up, turning to Edward and Rachael. "So... you care for this one, correct, Edward Barnes?" Raven's hand reached up, moving the cloak out of the way. "Perhaps if I was attracted to humans, she'd make a good bride. She does have quite the body at such a young age." She licked her lips, glaring at the married couple. "Now... who shall I dispose of first?"

Edward snarled, "Speak thy name, Dark Traitor. I would know the name of the person whose rear is about to get kicked. Rachael, it's time, I fear."

Before Rachael could do anything, though, the Dark Dragon used Raven's powers to freeze her. "No, no, can't have you do anything to stop me", she said. "Now, to answer your question... I am Nightmare. I am second only to Vilea when it comes to possession. And... What's this?" She suddenly looked into the Tower, grinning. "Brother Malchior? So this is where he has been hiding. And it looks like quite a spell has been placed on his prison... one that only this Raven can undo." She smirked, reaching up with a free hand and removing the cloak completely. "Perhaps I can go and get that book... it will mean quite the reward if I can collect both Ravens and the lost child. But then there's you, the hybrid." She got into a battle stance. "Maybe I should beat you within an inch of your life before I send you to a new universe."

Edward's eyes narrowed and he went to his battle form and thumped his tail in a pattern, telling the others that there was a problem.

"You are in a mortal body, Nightmare," Edward said, "You may have Raven's body and access to her powers, but, I doubt that you can access the strength of a dragon. Also, I am not afraid of you, Traitor. In my universe, Malchior is no more. And when we're through with you, you will not be in such a rush to possess any of my friends."

Edward needed to buy time for reinforcements to arrive, though. He was hoping that he could get him to release Rachael somehow.

"So, Malchior had a counterpart. He must have been weak to be defeated by you," Nightmare said.

"Actually, he wasn't a pushover," Edward replied, "But, that's irrelevant. And, you will find that I am not a pushover, either."

"We'll see about that," she replied and fired off some of Raven's powers to try to capture Edward. He was ready for that and leapt out of the way, though. He responded with a lightning attack, forcing her to erect a shield to block the power.

Yet, she maintained her grip on Rachael and that bothered Edward to no end, but, he also set that aside.

[Starfire!] he called out telepathically [Get Solor! Raven's possessed by someone named Nightmare. Get into Raven's room and get rid of that white book that is in a chest. Do not destroy it, just take it somewhere and guard it.]

Nightmare was unaware that Edward had telepathy, it was hoped. Nightmare threw another attack at Edward and he countered the move before whipping his tail around and making contact. But, instead of Nightmare flying across the roof of the Tower, she blocked the blow, getting a grunt out of Edward.

"Dang!" he said.

"Nice try," Nightmare said and grabbed Edward by the tail and tried to flip him, only to see Edward morphing to a smaller form and slipping out of her grasp.

The other Titans arrived and their jaws dropped.

"A little help here, guys!" Edward said, "This isn't Raven, it's Nightmare...one of Darkness' minions."

Edward used his lightning breath again while Nightmare was distracted and was able to make contact. The power flowed around Nightmare as she grunted, her hold on Rachael weakening.

"Crap... at this rate I may not get both of the children", Nightmare growled. "Fine then. Let's cut this short. Azarath Metrion ZINTHOS!" With that, the soul self of Raven was forced out of her body, as well as a black dragon shape grabbing onto Raven. Soon, the two twisted and turned in midair, with Raven obviously trying to escape. Eventually, the dragon roared, and the two were separated from the Titans, disappearing into the void of a Tear of Oblivion. Raven's body fell limp, and Rachael was released, but at a cost.

Robin slammed his fist against the door. "We're too late... Nightmare got away with Raven's soul."

Another Tear opened up, and Solor arrived, panting. "Where is she?!" he roared.

"Perfect timing", said Edward, who was glaring coldly at the spot where Raven had vanished. "Solor, we're going on that mission."

Solor at first looked surprised, but upon noticing the limp Raven, he nodded. "Very well. We need to head for Greece. My training with Life has allowed me to morph into a bat for an hour; that should be enough time to find Vilea and destroy the eggs before they can summon Trigon."

Edward said, "They just made this personal. Robin, please take my wife and Raven to the Med Bay. As much as it pains me to say this: If we do not recover Raven's soul soon, her mortal shell will die no matter what we do. Do NOT allow Rachael to follow me or implant a piece of her soul-self into your Raven. I know it sounds selfish, and I apologize for that if it does. I just do not know what will happen."

Neither of them knew it was too little, too late, though. The forced trial made sure of that. The eggs were going to hatch.

Solor turned to the Tear, which was still open and awaiting him. "My father is holding this Tear open for us. We must enter quickly, so he can re-coordinate it to Mt. Olympus. There, we should be able to easily find the cavern." He turned to Raven's limp form as Robin lifted it up. He leaned down, whispering into Raven's ear. "I will find you, little sister. I will find you, and I will save you." He turned back to the Tear. "I will go first. I know the layout thanks to Vulonviing repeatedly telling me. We should have a good map of the Dark Lair. Whenever you are ready, join me on the other side." With that, he stepped through the portal, vanishing into the darkness.

Edward leaned over Raven, gave her a kiss and said, "We'll get you back, Raven."

Than, kissed Rachael and said, "Stay strong, dear. I'll be back soon."

"We got this, dawg" Cyborg said, "Go!"

Edward followed Solor into the Tear.

**[Lair]**

Edward emerged and quickly thanked Sol and said, "About the earlier trial...I do not blame you. But, you and the Circle made your point...Thank you."

Sol said, "I'm glad, Kiinnum, but, this will have to wait." Sol looked to the Tear. "Prepare yourselves. Where you are going is the darkest location on the mortal realm. You will be alone, and if you fail, then the mission will fail. We will not be able to send any more soldiers to try to stop the Traitor and Vilea."

"Understood", Solor said. "Send us to Mt. Olympus. We will not fail."

Sol smiled. "You have my faith." He spoke in the dragon tongue, and quickly the Tear vanished and reopened. "There we go. You will arrive shortly. May the First guide your paths."

The two infiltrators looked at each other, nodded, and stepped through the Tear again.

**[Mt. Olympus]**

They emerged from the Tear and it closed quickly.

Edward said, "We dodged a bullet. Nightmare found Malchior's prison and was going to make a play to capture it. Had that happened, we might have been boned. You've got point, as you said, and, I am yours to lead, Starborn. I can stay in a bat form as long as needed, so, we should be OK, even if you have to bug out."

Starborn smirked, "I never thought I'd hear you offer to let me lead, but, thank you."

Edward morphed to a bat and squeaked as if to say, "After you, man."

Solor morphed as well, squeaking as well. He took the lead, flying up into the cave.

The path twisted and wound around the entire mountain, spiraling down as they traveled together. Solor took the lead, using echolocation to find the way down to the main chamber... where thousands of dragons were filing up.

[What are they doing?] thought Solor, projecting his thoughts towards Edward. [They aren't just laying around, like Vulonviing said. Are they...?]

[With the capture of Raven's soul, they may have all they need to summon Trigon. We're gonna have to interrupt them before they can summon him], Edward thought back. The two bats flew over to the edge of the cave, where Grand Darkness was sitting. [So, that is the Traitor...]

"My children! The age of oppression is over!" said the leader of Darkness. "We have a vessel, and we have the essence of the Destroyer of Worlds! Now, with these two mixed together, my son may return to this realm, to finish what he started millions of years ago!"

[Son?!] both Light dragons thought, looking at each other.

"With the Gem of Trigon, and the Twilight Dragon, we begin the ceremony!" He turned to the side. "Bring the whelp!"

At that, a Dark Dragon walked forward, holding what looked to be a very young dragon, barely out of the eggshell. It's eyes were closed, and appeared to be sleeping, unaware of what could happen.

[We don't have time for this], said Solor. [Edward... I hate to ask you... but I need you to save Raven, and killing that whelp before it can be sacrificed. I will find Vilea, and stop her before she lets the other eggs hatch.]

[I can try,] Edward said, [Gonna have to create a diversion somehow.] Edward looked around and saw something he could use.

[OK,] he said, [See that stalactite? I'm going to have to break that off without using a form that can be seen easily. You said it's pitch black in here, right?]

[Correct], said Solor. [Dark Dragons can see basic shapes in the dark, but they have very limited night vision.]

[So, even if I used a larger form, it may take a moment for them to realize something's wrong,] Edward surmised.

Edward had an idea, but, he needed a form where he could talk, even in a whisper: use his new found powers to cause the stone to break.

[What are you planning on doing?] Solor asked.

[Remember when I said I might have Raven's powers?] Edward replied.

[Yeah,] Solor replied, [Don't tell me...]

[Myth confirmed,] Edward said, [I need a form in which I can whisper, though. You'll only have a few moments to take advantage of the chaos. When you hear Raven's mantra...]

[Gotcha,] Solor said.

Edward morphed into a Dark Dragon, just in his shoulder sized form and focused on the roof of the cavern and whispered, "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" A jet black aura shot out and around the top of the spike. Edward squeezed it until a loud cracking sound was heard and it dropped. Edward released the rest of it and reformed his bat form and waited for a moment.

The stone dropped, hitting several Dark Dragons in the process. The Whelpling was accidentally thrown and that's when Edward teleported and latching onto the whelps neck, broke it and teleported to a vessel that Edward's innate senses felt the echo of Raven's soul-self and managed to grab that in the confusion. He teleported that to a safe location as well. All that taking place in the space of a few seconds. With their limited vision, Edward hoped that Grand Darkness would think the whelp died in the confusion. But, the missing vessel with Raven's soul-self would not be blamed easily on a "naturally occurring incident".

[May the First forgive me,] Edward said to Solor, [the whelp is dead from a broken neck. I am sorry, brother.]

[Edward, do not beat yourself up! You do not have time and we are in a Oblivion damned war! You do not have to apologize to me,] Solor said in stern rebuke...one that Edward accepted gracefully.

There was a roar that deafened a lot of ears just then.

"NOOO! The whelp is dead! Its neck is broken!" one of the Dark Dragons said.

"The vessel with the Gem's soul is gone as well!" another noted.

Grand Darkness looked stunned then roared, "FIND THAT VESSEL, NOW! And look for invaders! This is Lair's doing! KILL THEM!"

[Solor...] Edward said, [Hurry! The Dark Dragons are pissed and that's an understatement. If you cannot find those other eggs or whelplings, we have to leave. You got maybe 5-6 minutes, if you're lucky. We didn't have time to plan this raid!]

[Confirmed.] It was then Solor sighed. [I am sorry, Brother... but only one of us will make it out of here.] Before Edward could ask what he meant, a Tear of Oblivion formed around him, and he was instantly transported out of Dark Lair, with no Dark Dragons noticing in all the confusion. Solor focused on his mission, and using his memories, found his way to the nesting grounds. He searched high and low, making sure to avoid being seen by any Dark Dragons, before finally, he stumbled upon the nest.

Vilea, having heard the news, was near the eggs. One of the whelps had hatched. The last egg was still whole, meaning the whelp wasn't quite ready to face the real world yet.

"So", said Solor, forming into a full dragon form and lighting some abandoned nests ablaze, allowing him to see. "This is where the great and mighty Vilea stands. At the back, taking care of bastard whelps."

Vilea sneered, growling back. "If it isn't Daddy. Say hello to Daddy, baby", she cooed. She then stepped forward, putting herself between Solor and the nest. "If you want them, you will have to go through me."

"That should be easy enough", Solor said, his eyes beginning to glow white. And with that, he attacked, roaring in full anger.

**[Titan's Tower]**

While Edward and Solor were away, the Titans did not know that Nightmare was a distraction. Slowly, another Dragon was targeting Rachael. The elder was in the med bay, watching over her young counterpart, when the door whooshed open, and Robin stepped in.

"How's she doing?" he asked, sounding concerned.

"Not good", Rachael replied. "If we don't get her soul back soon..." She shook her head. "Screw what Edward has to say. I'm not letting her die." She got up, getting ready to cast a spell, when Robin grabbed her hand.

"Rachael, don't", he began. He then smirked, squeezing her wrist as his eyes began to glow red behind the mask. "You're more useful to us alive than dead."

With that, the imposter revealed himself, taking on a more dragon-like look. "And here I thought empaths could tell when an imposter was nearby. Well, you learn something every day." He cast the spell, his body becoming an astral projection and slowly began seeping its way into her own.

[Edward! Save Raven! I-I'm not gonna -] There was a pause. [And it looks like she's mine now, Edward Barnes. Better hurry back and stop me before I take off with her body.] Despite how warped it was, Edward recognized the voice.

[Slade], he said, his voice dripping with venom. [How did you escape? How are you possessing her?!]

[So you know my name, then. Very well, I suppose you deserve answers], replied the once-masked man. [The Dark Dragons decided that they needed an ally. One who knew how to fight the Titans at every twist and turn. Who better than me? And to answer that second one... well, Darkness is very powerful, wouldn't you agree, hybrid?]

**[Lair]**

Edward snarled with rage. He had the vessel containing Raven's soul-self after being yanked out of the Dark Lair and giving Sol a piece of his mind, only to be interrupted by Rachael's distress call.

"That Son of a BITCH!" Edward roared, "They got MY WIFE!"

"Wait, what?" Sol said, confused by the sudden change in Edward's target.

"Slade has possessed Rachael," Edward said, pacing the ground.

Edward pulled his communicator and hit the panic button.

"Edward calling all Titans. Converge on the Titan Tower Med bay...NOW! Rachael is possessed by Slade. Delay the son of a bitch by any means necessary short of killing Rachael's body. And be careful, he may be able to jump to others," he ordered and disconnected.

Edward sighed and said, "Please keep this safe. I'll be back as soon as possible. Hopefully Starborn is not on a suicide mission, and I will have to have faith in him. This is the third time my wife's been possessed by Darkness. I need a tear opened to my Universe and held for a moment. Rachael has a mirror that goes into her mind, please."

Sol chanted in the native tongue, opening a tear back to Edward's universe.

As soon as he emerged from the tear he raced to his quarters and grabbed her mirror and raced back, not able to explain to Arella what was happening.

He leapt through the Tear and emerged back where he started.

"I'll open a ..." Sol started to say, only to see a flash of light as Edward teleported back to the Tower, "...tear."

He arrived to see the Titans fighting the possessed Rachael and Terra said, "What in the world? She fights like Slade!"

"That's because," Rachael replied, "I am Slade, dear child."

Edward knew he had to do something he'd later be apologizing to his wife for later and said, "You might know these Titans, you bastard. You do not know me.

"Azarath metrion zinthos!" he yelled and grabbed his wife in a vise grip of his new powers.

That surprised the mastermind greatly. The next thing Edward said, "Now that I have your full and undivided attention. I'm going to give you a chance to leave MY WIFE voluntarily or I will use a way to get into Nevermore and evict you by force."

Slade/Rachael was struggling to escape, but, fueled by Edward's strength and his anger, the only way to break that hold was with another Dragon.

"She is mine," was the reply, "I think I will keep her."

"Wrong answer," Edward replied, "Hold her. She tries to escape, use whatever is required to knock her out."

He looked at the mirror that Beast Boy and Cyborg recognized as Starfire moved to the back of Rachael. She nodded, "I am ready."

Edward allowed his powers to drop enough to allow Starfire to grab Rachael in one of her bearhugs. Cyborg held his sonic cannon at full charge and ready to fire.

Edward looked at the mirror, and activated it, entering into Nevermore, on his way to pay Slade a little visit. What he didn't expect, however, was for an unfamiliar soul to exit at the exact same time. And once Edward was in, he noticed that he couldn't back out. The other Titans were so stunned by this, that the now physical form of Slade was easily able to knock them out with a spin kick, hitting everyone at once.

"Too easy", he said, sounding disappointed. He turned, seeing Raven on the bed, and smirked. "There's the birthday girl." He picked up Raven's unconscious body, then turned to leave, before stopping. "I'm sure you're wondering what I did, Edward. See... I wasn't told to engage you in a fight. I knew I would lose if I took you on hand to hand. So... I tricked you. I possessed your wife's body, yes... but I was ready to leave whenever I wanted. And what better way to distract you than to make you run through Nevermore without any aid from your unconscious wife? Now... if you'll excuse me, I have a long trip. And I'm sure I'd love a certain book Raven has in her collection." He began to walk away, heading for Raven's room while Edward roared furiously in Rachael's mind, unable to act.

Edward knew the layout of Nevermore quite well and with Slade gone, it was a matter of time before the Emoticlones were waking up. Hopefully Starfire had moved the book to a far away location where only she knew like Edward asked.

**[Lair]**

Sol was pacing furiously, holding the vessel of Raven, when a Tear opened up.

Black flames spewed out, hitting the Grand Light hard and knocking him down. When he looked up, his eyes widened in shock as he saw Grand Darkness standing above him.

"So... you are the Grand Light?" he asked, smirking. "You are nothing like your ancestor." He turned to the several Dark Dragons behind him. "Do as you please, my children. After today, the Tyranny of the Circle is no more! I shall summon our savior! Darkness Extinguish Light!"

The army roared in response, and rushed at Sol. The last he saw of the Traitor was him exiting into the Tear that he had entered.

**[Dark Lair]**

Grand Darkness arrived safely, and saw his daughter. "Vilea? I thought you were staying with your nest?"

"I was, when I found this little bug crawling around", she replied, and held up the unconscious body of Solor. "If it were not for that general you posted at my nest, then he would have surely killed my babies."

"Good work, my daughter. Now, hand me the next whelp." She obeyed, handing over the napping baby dragon. Grand Darkness moved to the ceremonial altar once more, placing Raven's body and soul together before placing the whelp on top.

"With your own child, my son... I summon you from your banishment in the realm between realms! Trigon the Terrible, awaken now at your FULL power! Make this world the Land of Eternal Darkness!"

With that, the marks of Scath appeared on Raven's body, and she woke up just in time to scream as loud as possible.

Trigon was reborn.


	14. The Final Battle!

**Chapter 14**  
**[Dark Lair]**

As Trigon was summoned, the sky turned blood red and he roared "THE EARTH IS MINE!" As the effect spread over the planet, alarms at the BatCave, Justice League WatchTower and Titan Tower started blaring wildly.

With Edward temporarily trapped in Nevermore, Rachael being out cold and only the First knew where Raven was, it was looking bleak for everyone.

Lair was under attack as well, the Dark Dragons being set loose before Grand Earth's children could restore the barrier that was used to isolate Lair from the outside world and keep the Dragons there, but, somehow, they barely managed to do that. And that protected Lair from what was happening worldwide: The petrification of life itself. Luckily, Edward, Grand Earth and his children had been prepared for this eventuality and spent a lot of time to practice the defense of Lair.

But, something happened that would have gotten Trigon's wrath aroused. Rachael and Raven had given a share of their powers to the Titans to protect them should Trigon be summoned during the breaks in the missions. That came in handy as even though everyone was still knocked out, they were still protected. Rachael had protected the Titans and Raven, her Teen Titans the week before. It weakened both girls a bit, but, the fact that the two teams needed to stay un-petrified was vital.

Everything else was petrified. Buildings destroyed, the oceans turned to lava, plant life frozen as well as all animal life. People frozen in mid-step, birds fell out of the air...It was a planetwide disaster that made even Biblical disasters pale.

Yet, Grand Darkness looked upon Trigon and smiled, "Wonderful. Yes, the Earth is yours, Trigon, my son. We have overthrown the Circle at last, for as we speak, they are also doomed. Feast upon their souls! Then, we will take over the universe for Darkness! None shall stand against our might!"

Trigon chuckled and said, "And who are you, salamander, to speak to Trigon in such a manner? Trigon bows to nothing, I let live those I want to live, and those who drink from my cup of wrath only sweeten their souls before I feast. State your name, lizard. For I would know who I devour!"

The leader of Darkness said nothing. Slowly, though, he began to chuckle. Then he began to laugh. "Oh, this is grand, is it not?! You forgot who you are!" He let out another laugh, before lowering his eyes, and giving Trigon a look that made a shiver run down his spine. "You will speak to your father with respect, you half-breed scum. I brought you into the world. I can take you out."

Trigon growled, and soon his gaze shot out pure darkness. Unfortunately for the very old demon, the attack was shrugged off by a barrier, and the demon stared in surprise. "W-What? What is this?! You should be nothing but stone!"

Grand Darkness smirked. "You should know by now, my dear child, that you cannot defeat me. Your powers are a mere fraction of my true strength. I have lived since the dawn of Dinosaurs. I am the first Grand Darkness. And while I cannot unleash my power fully anymore, I can still defend myself from you, Trigon." He reached up, grabbing the demon by the horns, and pulled him down to look Darkness in the eye. "I have seen and done things that would make your 'consumption of worlds' look like child's play. After all... I am the world eater. I am the beginning and the end. Whether a planet has life on it or not is of no concern to me. But only you can destroy my enemies, which is why I used you. And will continue to use you to grow my empire."

"You asked for my name? Surely you remember. The one that made you. I am Oblaan. I. Am. THE END." He roared loudly into Trigon's ear, and threw him off, making him hit the side of the cavern hard. "Now, remember your place, Trigon the Terrible. Or I will eat you and rid this world of the Circle myself."

Trigon stared, in shock and horror. Then he slowly growled. "You... remind me of that one..." He stood up. "There was another one like you... able to protect himself from my attacks."

"You must mean the hybrid", Oblaan spoke, musing to himself. "If that is the case... you made an attempt on his world and failed. So... would you care to know that he is here? You may take your revenge. In fact, I believe he is either in Lair or Jump City. Since you cannot access Lair... I will handle that myself. Their magic is paltry compared to my own. You, Trigon, will attack Jump City, and kill the Titans. Including the hybrid known as Edward Barnes. Now, go! Send your minions to destroy what is left."

Trigon thought about it and said, "I will have my vengeance against this Barnes and upon my daughter. I will eat their souls."

**[Nevermore]**

Edward was annoyed. He was temporarily stuck in Nevermore for some reason and as he flew over the various areas, they were luckily undamaged and saw the Emoticlones all in a state of confusion.

He landed and after greeting everyone, asked what happened.

"Raven's out, that's what," Brave said.

"I know," Edward said, "I need to find the nearest exit, though. She'll be taken care of."

Timid whimpered, "I don't like Slade."

Edward held out his arms and Timid ran to him. He was one of the few that could reassure her when she was in this state.

"Listen to me, little one," Edward said, "It's going to work out somehow, and, Slade will get what's coming to him for taking over and for his tricking me.

"But, I need to get out of Nevermore to do that. Will you help me?" he asked her.

"Let's go," she said.

"Where's my emoticlone?" Edward asked, noting that his clone was MIA.

"He went to find Rave and wake her up," Happy said.

"Good," Edward said.

He and Timid left to find the exit. It took some time, but, eventually they found a portal and Edward hugged Timid and said, "Go back to Brave, sweetie." He gave her a reassuring kiss on the forehead and she flew off.

Edward stepped through to see the Titans out cold and the Tower half destroyed.

But, what got Edward's attention was the sky and sea.

"We're too late!" he said, sinking to his knees. He had failed in his mission to prevent Trigon's summoning and he blamed Grand Earth for this. If they would have waited to hold their sham trial, they could have gotten those eggs and smashed them. Now, Solor was either dead or a POW, Rachael was out cold and Raven...was likely robbed of her powers and reverted to a child or possibly dead.

He tried to use his communicator to talk to Sol and was further stunned to see Lair burning and dragons fighting for their lives on the viewscreen.

His eyes went past red to white as his entire body glowed as he morphed to his mini-dragon form and blasted out of the wall and teleported.

Or tried to. The barrier around Lair prevented that, but, Edward had a new trick up his sleeve.

"Azarath Metrion ZINTHOS!" he roared and a white dome formed and he phased through the barrier!

He turned off his Blessing of Light, just in case he needed it for later on and turned to attack the Dark Dragons with a vengeance.

He loosed a mighty Godzilla-like roar that got several Dark Dragon's attention and moved to attack.

"You invade my world. You invade the land of my birth," Edward snarled, "This shall not be tolerated. You invade hallowed ground and for that, you shall pay the penalty!"

Edward was ready for the attack, though and loosed a nearly full powered lightning blast that tore through the wings of those who got hit and others that got close were also struck in mid air, crashing down hard and their wings snapped.

A few tried to dive-bomb Edward only to get slapped with a tail strike. Others got body slammed and, the thing is, Edward wasn't even breaking a sweat.

_These are not the strongest Dragons for Grand Darkness!_ Edward realized.

Yet, those Dark Dragons had caused a lot of damage and the fight was far from over. In fact, as Edward watched, a huge Tear of Oblivion opened and a huge Dark Dragon emerged with one that was a bit smaller. He recognized her from Solor's memories.

"So, the hybrid is here, Father," Vilea said.

"I see," Grand Darkness said, "I shall dispose of him first. Let Lair see their Champion die at my hands."

Edward's eyes narrowed, _So this is Grand Darkness, eh? Nasty brute and won't be a pushover of a fight. Best play this one defensively for a change. Millions of years old. Hyper-strong and immortal. At best, even I would be an annoyance. But, I cannot back down, either. Teleporting him to this world's distant past wouldn't help. He would bid his time and we'd still be doing this dance. But, where are the members of the Circle? I do not see them anywhere while their people lay injured or even dead._

"So... you are Kiinnum", said Grand Darkness, flying close. "It is an honor to meet a pure hybrid. Tell me... what mortal name did you choose for yourself? In all of my conquests, I have not found it necessary to ask until now."

"Edward", said the three-thousand year old. "And why did you find it necessary now?"

"So I can mark your tomb properly", said Oblaan. "You will not win this fight, Edward. I have many years up against you, and I have powers that, while I am no longer able to use them fully, will cause significant amounts of damage, despite your immortal body." He slammed his tail. "Do you still challenge me?"

Edward only sneered. "You don't have to ask twice."

"Very well." With that, Oblaan roared in challenge, and took to the air, flying straight towards Edward at an almost blinding speed. The younger dragon, however, took the defensive, and quickly dodged the charge.

He didn't expect the Dark Dragon to suddenly turn and shoot pure Darkness at him.

Roaring in pain, Edward glared back at his opponent, his eyes glowing red. He decided to try anything he had, and quickly charged a lightning breath. Upon release, Darkness let out a grunt, but astonishingly, that was all Edward got out of him. The much larger dragon flipped in the air this time, reaching with his long tail and smacking the younger with it, the force of impact practically sending Edward crashing into the ground.

"Is this all you can do, child?" asked Darkness. "How pathetic."

"Oh, I have not begun to fight," Edward said and activated his Blessing of Light. His spine lit up purple this time as he accessed a different weapon. He launched a barrage of starbolts against Oblaan that impacted, getting another hiss from the larger dragon. Oblaan flew above Edward and shot more darkness. But, this time, Edward was ready and teleported away. He emerged behind Oblaan and continued his attack, keeping Oblaan on the defensive somewhat.

Oblaan whipped his tail around, striking Edward and stunned him for a moment. But, Edward was ready for the next attack from Grand Darkness and he grabbed Oblaan by the tail and his Blessing of Light changed! He started to turn to living crystal as the Blessing from Grand Earth kicked in! Edward didn't have the time to ponder what was happening, though as he loosed a roar and teleported with Oblaan in his grasp to a high altitude and then dove at a high speed.

"If I am destroyed," Edward said, quoting the Knight Automated Roving Robot, "SO SHALL YOU BE!"

Both Edward and Grand Darkness slammed into the ground hard., but, due to their shared immortality, neither wad down for the count. In fact, Oblaan wasn't even phased by the impact and laughed.

"Oh, that's rich!" he said, "The light mosquito's ally is down. Time to end this charade!"

It was then a familiar roar entered the arena, and Darkness turned to see the Circle standing upon the mountains nearby, each holding the limp body of a Dark general.

"You step on hollowed ground, Traitor", said Sol, growling.

"Your trespassing will not be tolerated", continued Earth.

"You will atone for your crimes", roared Fire.

"Or you shall be destroyed", came Water's cool voice.

"Atone for your sins", Life set up, glaring at Darkness.

"Or face judgment with the First", finished Death. At that point, all of them activated their Blessings, getting ready to attack.

Darkness rolled his eyes. "Oh please... you are nothing like the First Circle. Do you really wish to challenge me?" A mix of all six Blessings was the response, launching into Darkness as quickly as possible. They roared and breathed fire, ice, lightning, anything they could use against him. And they were at full power as well. Edward could hear Darkness roaring in pain, and quickly activated his own Blessing, but, this time, his body turned gray, the same color as Grand Death! Edward, remembering how Grand Death used his Blessing, roared at such a decibel and frequency that any mortal would have fallen over dead.

After five minutes of relentless attacking, the leaders of Lair finally ran out of breath, and had to relent. Having poured their souls into the joint attack, they could feel the Blessings deactivate, as they stared at the smoke.

"Did we get him?" asked Fire, although he looked very concerned.

Death paled considerably. "Impossible..."

The smoke cleared away, and Darkness stood there, the only evidence of the attack was a gash on his eye, a gash that was healing as they all watched.

"Now you've gone and marked my scales", said Oblaan, glaring. "My turn." With that, he activated his own version of a Blessing. His already onyx scales seemed to absorb all the light around him, and soon, the only part of him that was visible were his insane, red eyes.

Edward gulped. This was not going to be fun.

"Guys...SCATTER! He's too powerful!" Edward roared. For the first time, Edward was more than willing to retreat and regroup. Seven Dragons hit Oblaan with everything they had and they barely made a mark on the Traitor. Brute force was not going to work here. Edward didn't like it, but, they had no other options, that he was aware of and they were seriously outmatched, and he knew it. He was ignoring the pain that wracked him from the fight and he could feel his body repairing itself, but, Edward suddenly realized that even if he took too much damage, he could be taken out before his immortality could keep up.

Darkness growled a bit. "This is getting annoying. Shall we end this?" He took a deep breath, aiming at Earth, the largest target, and roared as loud as possible. A red beam shot out of his mouth, hitting the large Earth Dragon, and suddenly, in a flash of light...

… the Grand Earth became encased in stone.

Everyone stared in shock as Darkness laughed. "Now he matches his namesake. And so will all of you, Grand Circle. I will finish Trigon's work, and end you all myself. And with your children in the mortal realm all petrified... then Trigon himself will eventually break this barrier, and every child that you love will be fed to him!"

Grand Darkness sneered at the rest of the Circle and charged up another attack and struck Grand Water next before she could move and she was likewise petrified.

"NOOO!" Grand Fire roared in grief and anger, not knowing if this was permanent or not.

"_**GOD DAMMIT! HAUL YOUR DRAGON ASSES!**_" Edward roared, trying to break the rest of the Circle out of their sudden stupor, all pretense of courtesy gone.

Edward moved closer to Sol and his eyes stopped glowing. He had one play left and it would require nearly perfect timing. Everything they threw at the beast failed and now, two members of the Circle were...gone.

[Rachael, if you can hear me,] Edward said quickly, [Lair has fallen as well. Two of the Circle are petrified and if I can't time something right, we all lose and, I will likely die, here and now. Please, if that happens, and Trigon cannot be defeated either, know that I will always love you. Do not try to rescue us, either.]

There wasn't a response, but, Edward knew the link was still there. There wasn't any backlash from a snapped link.

As this was happening, Darkness hit Grand Life with that weapon. Three members of the Circle were down. in less than a minute. The remaining members shook out of their trances and realized that Edward was right. They started to retreat, only to be struck as well.

However, Grand Death was able to open a Tear and flew through that, his magic able to breach the barrier. That left Edward and Sol and Grand Darkness licked his lips behind his Blessing...If one could call it that.

"The two weakest ones left," Oblann sneered. He charged his attack and fired, only to see Sol and Edward disappear in a flash of light. Edward had teleported to a different area of Lair and before Sol could say anything, Edward said Raven's mantra and they phased through the barrier. Edward teleported once more, putting distance between them and Lair.

"How?" Sol said, "You mean you could have left in the middle of that trial?"

"Sol, do not even go there right now!" Edward said, "Right now, Grand Darkness is the ruler of Lair, all because the Circle just had to try Solor and myself right then and there instead of waiting until we won the war. And get this, he's going to try to track us down somehow. That's why I did not have you open a tear. I have Rachael's powers now and, no, I could not have pulled that trick before. Look around! The balance that the First created is gone and the mission you were entrusted to for millions of years has failed. The Titans are still with us, and so is someone named Slade...He is mine to kill."

Sol looked at Edward in shock. Edward was no longer treating him with any semblance of the respect shown earlier, but, as Sol looked around, he saw what had happened. The Earth, the realm that from the beginning of earth's history was no more. The End had truly come and their efforts to protect the planet had come to nothing. That shocked Sol to the core.

Edward took a calming breath and said, "We have see what is left. I can tell you, it's not much. We have to hope that the Justice League is not petrified, for all the good it will do. We hit him with everything we had, and, we saw what happened."

"You said the Teen Titans are unpetrified?" Sol asked.

"Yeah, they are. Don't ask me how, either. Raven's missing, and Rachael was possessed long enough to lure me in for a rescue attempt. That's why Slade Wilson will die," Edward vowed.

Sol said, "Kiinnum, I know you are angry at all of us in the Circle, including myself. I had no idea that one of Water's children would be eavesdropping. I wanted to break the news to them myself."

"I'm not as angry at you, Grand Light," Edward said with a sigh, "I'm more annoyed at myself. Remember I told you about Raven having emoticlones? Well her inner Rage took control and read me the riot act after Raven told me that you guys cannot afford to have favorites because to you, the big picture is more than mortal/human minds can grasp. She told me why you were enforcing the Breed Traitor law, and my interference, even unintentional, is inexcusable. She told me that at one time, dragons and I suppose, early humans mated and the results were not good. I never expected preferential treatment from you or anyone else in the Circle. In fact, I've grown to not like it when the humans do that to me. I spent hundreds of years just trying to avoid being killed by living off the land, tweaking my appearance and other things. And had anyone in Lair asked, I would have said, 'Please, do not treat me different regardless of my abilities.'"

"It seems like she's done her research on us," Sol sighed as they continued flying.

"Bottom line," Edward said, "You need not apologize. I forgive you all for enforcing something that protects dragons and man. When this is over, and if the Circle can be restored...please reinstate that law. You shouldn't re-exile those you've pardoned, though."

Sol shook his head. "We should not repeal that decision. The first Circle, millions of years ago, already cast the spell that makes it impossible for a normal dragon to have children with a mortal. There is no need to enforce it anymore." Sol shook his head. "We must focus on something else. Solor... you said that a Tear of Oblivion separated you both?"

"Yeah", said Edward. "Why did you stop me?"

"I did not", Sol said, his eyes widening in realization.

Edward's eyes widened as well. "Oh my! Then... Solor cast the spell?"

"We must make our way to the Titans", Sol said. "He must have a plan. I just hope he is alive..."

**[Dark Lair]**

Solor was, indeed, alive. He had been beaten badly by that General protecting Vilea and the remaining brood but, as he woke up, he realized that something was wrong. For a moment, he thought he was having a nightmare where he was in the same area where he was raped and tortured. He looked around and saw that he was imprisoned and muttered, "Whoever did this will suffer."

"So, the Light mosquito is awake," a familiar voice said.

"Vilea," Solor said, his voice icy, "What do you want?"

"Only to tell you that your plot failed," she said, "one of your babies served its purpose as did Raven. Trigon is summoned and, guess what? Lair has fallen! The Circle is no more, petrified by Oblaan. And, your friend has also fallen. He was so easy to defeat. He managed to rescue Grand Light somehow and managed to get through the barrier protecting Lair. When we find them, they shall share the same fate. Statues in the Dark Lair. In fact, when father gets here, you may join them.

"It's a shame, really. I had hoped for more eggs out of you, but, I still have one precious whelpling to raise up and with the earth under our control, there's no one left to stand in our way."

"So, Kiinnum has evaded you? That's good," Starborn said.

"Not for you, it isn't," she said, "I'm going to enjoy breaking you all over again, and this time, you'll stay broken. I will avenge my first whelp, as there is no way that rock fell on its own. You will tell me what I need to know, plain and simple."

Solor smirked. "Well... I hate to disappoint you. But you cannot break me anymore." His eyes began glowing white, and with an intensity never seen before. "I... AM NOT... AFRAID. OF. YOU!"

With that Solor roared and broke free from his bonds as though they were nothing. Vilea stared in horror.

"Impossible... only a member of the Circle could break those bonds", she said, and Solor only grinned evilly.

"My turn", he said simply. "I underestimated you. I will not make that mistake again."

Vilea, for the first time in her life, felt fear for something other than her father. Quickly, she turned and fled. "KILL HIM!" she roared at the general that was left. "KILL HIM, OR I WILL KILL YOU!"

The general obeyed without question, glaring at Solor. "You will pay for the death of the Twilight whelps!" He roared, and charged.

Only to be met with a beam of light to the face, killing him instantly.

Solor looked at the corpse, then back down the tunnel that Vilea escaped to. "I will atone for my sins", he said. "I will kill that last abomination. And I will end the reign of terror of Vilea." He flapped his wings, taking off down the tunnel.

**[Titan's Tower]**

The Titans recovered quickly after Edward left for Lair, and the group had to flee before demons of fire could attack them.

"So... this is what happens when an multidimensional demon takes over the world", said Beast Boy. "It's even darker and scarier than I thought."

Cyborg nodded. "So, what do we do?" he asked. "Without Raven, Solor, Edward, or Rachael, we're kinda up a creak without a paddle, right?"

Robin began to think. He remembered Edward telling him about this weeks before. And it took only minutes for him to figure out what he needed to do. "Guys... we're gonna have to split up."

"Are you kidding?" Terra said. "We're two team members and two supporting members short. There's no way we can do anything split up. What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to find Raven", Robin replied. "Edward said that Raven's the only one that can push Trigon back. I don't know where she is, but she's our only hope. So, I'm not gonna sit here and do nothing."

After a few moments, Beast Boy nodded. "I getcha, dude. I'll do my best to keep Trigon from looking for you."

"As will the rest of us", finished Cyborg. "You get going, man. Raven's waiting for you."

"Wait, how are you going to know where to find her?" Terra asked.

"Call it a hunch", Robin replied before he began walking off.

Shortly after Robin left, Beast Boy surprisingly took charge. "Alright. If Solor and Edward are right, then Trigon was most likely summoned in Greece. We're gonna have to meet him halfway and take him on there."

Starfire shook her head. "The Trigon is very powerful. We cannot face him in the middle of the ocean where one of us cannot even access our powers."

"Then what do you suggest you do?" Terra asked.

Starfire responded by looking up, smirking as she saw the fire demons circling around them. "We wait until he shows up. We will make our last stand here, in Jump City. We must buy friend Robin enough time to find Raven."

"Here's hoping the Justice League is still in the game", Beast Boy said, before morphing into the Beast, allowing Terra onto his back. The four remaining Titans took to the battle, powers ready for the war.

**[Watchtower]**

Superman groaned, as he stood up slowly. "Everyone alright?" he asked, looking at the other heroes that were around him. Everyone nodded, but they knew they were in deep trouble.

"All signs of life have diminished greatly", said J'onn. "In fact... there are only a few left. Most of our team on Earth is petrified, along with the rest of the planet. There are only eight human signals left and a few dragons. I assume that is the Teen Titans and their dragon friends."

"Most likely", said Green Lantern. "So, who do we got? The founding members of the League, the Doom Patrol, and some of the kids, right? Jericho, Kole, Gnarrk, and a few others."

Batman nodded. "There is a major entity heading towards Jump City. He's almost there, but he's still a few miles from the bay. If we hurry, we can give the Titans support and stop this menace."

With that, the heroes on the Watchtower all got together, ready to depart. The final battle had begun.

**[Dark Lair]**

Vilea panted as she ran, forced to stop flying as Solor had shot a hole into her wings. She had been narrowly dodging his attacks, and there was little room for her to run in, and even less room for her to run to. She was making a break for the exit, holding the last egg in her claw as she struggled.

_How did he get so strong?_ she asked. _How did he recover in the first place?_

She was afraid for the first time in well, probably ever as Solor caught up to her, vengeance in his eyes. And he had an advantage. Even two if one wanted to be technical. He still had flight and all four legs to run her down.

But, he needed an ace in the hole...

[Kiinnum?] he projected, [I'm all right, but, need your assistance real quick. Can you meet me at the Dark Lair's opening. Someone here I want you to meet.]

[Starborn! Your father is with me, we'll meet you there, but, we got major, and I mean MAJOR problems!] Edward replied, relief evident in their new found link.

"Sol," Edward said, "Starborn is alive. I think he's chasing someone he knows, if you get my drift. We're teleporting in case Grand Darkness can track Tears of Oblivion, so, you will have to get on."

Sol smiled, "That's good news! Let's go, but, we have to be quick!"

[Rachael? Come on, babe, I know you're there!] Edward called out on his link.

[I'm here, sweetheart,] she replied, [but, the Tower is destroyed. And, we're surrounded by fire demons.]

[Can you guys hold out for a little bit?]

[If you're asking if they are attacking, they are not. It's like they are waiting for some reason,] she replied.

[Trigon's not there, then,] he replied, [Buys us a little time, I hope.]

"OK, we have to make this fast, Sol," Edward said, "The Titan Tower is under siege."

"Understood," Sol said, "Let's go."

Edward waited until Sol got on and took to the air. A few moments later, they were at Mt. Olympus.

Edward looked up at the sky. The spiral of clouds was on the move, indicating that Trigon was on the move.

Edward said, "Wait here, please. I will help Starborn bring Vilea out as well as her hatchling. I want her to see that the remaining member of the Circle is here and ready to pronounce sentence. I know that the Circle usually does this, but, you may have to take unilateral action unless she knows how to reverse what Grand Darkness did."

Sol nodded his assent, glad to know his son was alive.

Edward entered the cave, albeit at a smaller size to fit in easier.

Just in time as he saw a panicked Vilea heading his way.

"FREEZE TRAITOR!" he roared and allowed his eyes to shine a blazing, deadly, dangerous red.

"Try to fire your breath weapon and I will not hesitate to kill you," Edward warned as she tried to turn around.

He lit up his ridges to show he meant business and as the intensity increased, his Blessing activated, filling the cave with a blinding light that even forced the chasing Starborn to squint.

Vilea stopped, mainly because she did not have a choice.

"In the name of the Circle, I place you under arrest, Vilea. You will be charged with Crimes against Dragonkind, Multiple counts of raping the Heir to the Light, Torture, and crimes against the First," Edward said, "as well as High Treason and conspiracy to commit High Treason."

Edward walked over and snarled, "The Egg...now."

She handed it over to Edward who looked at it.

"Please...don't kill it," she pleaded.

"Why shouldn't I?" Edward asked, staying his hand.

"He's a hybrid, like you are," she said, averting her gaze as Edward deactivated his Blessing.

"That's irrelevant," Edward said.

"Isn't it? Aren't you a hybrid of all the clans?" Vilea challenged, "What gave you the right to live and not be labeled an abomination by the Circle and likewise executed?"

That took Edward by surprise and he had no answer. But, she had a point, even in her fear.

So, he said, "We'll have to let the Circle decide...assuming that they can be revived. Follow me willingly or be carried...Your choice.

"Starborn, Excellent work!"

Vilea chose to follow Edward, seeing that there was still a lower level glow in his spine ridges, indicating that if she tried to run, she'd likely be stunned, if not killed.

Edward slowly backed out and to where Sol awaited.

She saw Sol and said, "No! Please don't turn me over to Feylfil!"

"Morning Star?" Edward asked.

"That is the name my mother gave me," Sol said, "I am surprised she knows my name, but, no matter. She's not going anywhere except to her doom. You two go to the Tower."

Solor, however, had other plans. He approached Edward, staring at the egg with an odd, unfamiliar look for a dragon. "Give me the egg."

Edward nearly did a double take at how Solor approached Edward without him noticing. "No, Solor. I promised Vilea I would-"

"She is a Dark Dragon. She is a traitor, a torturer, a rapist, and completely insane. Her word and any promises made to her mean nothing", Solor said simply. "But that is not the point. I am not going to harm it. Just give me the egg."

Edward eyed Solor warily, but could not detect any anger in the younger dragon. So, reluctantly, he gave the egg over. "Why are you so interested in it? I mean, besides the fact that it's yours?"

"Because", Solor said, holding it in his claws, "it's about to hatch."

And just like that, the egg began to crack. Slowly, pieces were clawed away, until a serpent-like head began to poke out. It looked around, it's red eyes very obvious against it's bronze scales and black underbelly. After a moment, it caught eyesight with Solor, and made a gurgling sound before it began to stumble out of the shell. Solor brought the whelp close to his snout, allowing it to crawl upon him and look him in the eye. Eventually, it seemed satisfied, and let out a small coo, before curling up and seemingly falling asleep.

"Did you think of a name for her?" asked Solor suddenly. Vilea, surprised by the question, only shook her head. "Then I shall name her."

"Starborn, that is unwise. If the Circle decides to destroy it-" Sol began.

"-then they will have to go through my corpse", said Solor, snarling angrily. He gently picked up the whelp, still sleeping in his claws, and carried her. She was about the size of a medium-sized dog, so it was easy to hold her. "She is my daughter. I will not kill her." He smiled at the baby dragon. "Now that I see her... how beautiful she is... I cannot feel anything but love for her. Perhaps I could not feel the same about the others, as I did not get a good look at them... but she is mine. I refuse to lose her. And from this day forward... her name is Soskrein."

"Blood sun..." Edward translated, tasting it on his lips. "It fits, considering the circumstances. I figured you'd go for a dusk or a dawn themed name."

"That would be boring. Why would I do that?" Solor said, smirking. "Now... if you'll excuse us, Father, I think it is time we headed for Jump City."

"With that whelp? It will not be safe", said Sol, although he reluctantly opened the way, knowing that either way, Grand Darkness will know they were here.

"I have a safe place for her", he said, smirking. He shot Edward a look. "You're not the only one who has a safe storage for things valuable to you." With that, he flapped his wings, flying into the Tear.

"Sol," Edward said, "She's a beautiful granddaughter. Instead of killing her, I respectfully submit that the Circle allow her to live. You already allowed a hybrid dragon to live and enjoy a full life. Please, I already killed one innocent whelp. Please...Please, don't kill this one." Tears fell from Edward's eyes, revealing the guilt he felt at having to take an innocent life.

Sol was speechless, seeing the conviction in Edward's eyes. "It's not my call to make, Kiinnum. But, if Starborn can accept his daughter and we already spared your life, I think I can prevail upon the Circle to allow her to have the same chance that you got."

Vilea looked at the scene and something changed within her. She saw how guilt-ridden Edward was over killing her whelp, she saw how Solor went from wanting the whelp dead to protecting it and telling Grand Light that they would have to kill him as well. And, she looked up at the blood red sky and realized something. It did not matter how physically strong one is: The true strength comes from within. Starborn could have killed the last whelp, knowing that she would be a reminder of how she was conceived. But, chose to love the baby anyway. She realized that maybe even a Dragon can change. She saw that one of the strongest Dragons still shed tears over having to kill, and, she knew what true strength really was and where it lay.

"I will cooperate with you," she said suddenly.

Edward raised an eyebrow and replied, "How do we know that you will tell us the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, Traitor?"

"Because I will plead guilty in front of the Circle and if they say that the Heir to Darkness deserves to die for my crimes, then, I will accept their judgment," she replied.

"Will you renounce your title?" Sol asked.

"I will if it helps convince you of my sincerity," she replied, "Your friends can be recovered. But, you must kill Oblaan and Trigon must be banished or killed. When Trigon's daughter reverts those petrified, those in Lair will be freed."

"You know that if you renounce your title, you can die regardless," Sol said. She nodded, "And I will face the First and accept my damnation.

"Kiinnum...I forgive you."

It was Edward's turn to be picking his jaw up. He nodded, "Thank you."

[Edward!] he heard in his head [We need you! Trigon is close!]

"I gotta run, Sol!" Edward said, "Vilea...If you go back upon what you said, I will execute you myself and unlike your whelp, I will not feel remorse."

Edward chose to teleport as Sol opened a Tear and escorted his prisoner to a location where he hoped Oblaan would not find her until the fight was over.

**[Titan Tower]**

Edward emerged over Titan Tower and saw the fire demons starting to make their move.

They did not expect to see Edward's spines start glowing blue and quickly charge to full capacity.

Edward unleashed a megablast of superchilled air that snuffed out a fair amount of fire demons as the Justice League arrived as well.

"Am I glad to see these guys!" Edward said with a smirk.

"Superman! Use your breath to get rid of these guys, please!" Edward called out, "Lantern, snuff them out with airtight constructs. Titans, GO!"

As the superheroes engaged the fire demons, the earth shook and as everyone watched, the clouds converged and with a roar, Trigon the Terrible, destroyer of worlds, eater of souls arrived on the scene.

Edward turned to face the demon once more.

"So, you are the insolent beast who defeated me in his realm," Trigon said, "Before you die, I will devour your friend's souls and make you watch as they beg for mercy..."

"I killed you in my universe, you bastard, and I did not have my full capabilities," Edward snarled, "Now, I am at full strength and full power. Prepare to be banished from your home universe, forever."

[J'onn, please relay to everyone that they need to steer clear of Trigon's eye blasts, including Superman. Thanks!]

[That dangerous?] J'onn asked.

[I've dealt with Trigon before and know what he is capable of,] Edward replied, [You'll have to trust me, Manhunter.]

Before Edward could say more, though, a beam of Light shot from the air and hit Trigon in the face, temporarily blinding him and making him howl in rage.

"Hope I'm not too late!" came Solor's voice, as the Light Dragon flew through the sky. "Had a little... guest in my stash." He motioned to his back, where Edward could barely make out the small figures of Robin and a very tiny Raven.

Edward, despite the situation, couldn't help but laugh. "I thought you refused to be a pack mule?" he called to his brother.

"To anyone? No", said Solor. He then smirked. "To my sister and brother? I'll make an exception." Edward thought, _Now, Starborn is over his hangup with humans at last._

Soon, the Dragon landed, allowing Raven and Robin to dismount. He turned to Robin. "Keep her safe. Edward and I will take on Trigon the Terrible."

"No!" Raven cried, latching onto Solor's claw. "He'll kill you!"

Solor, however, remained calm, and nuzzled Raven lightly with his snout. "I've faced Death itself and come unscathed. I can survive a little old demon", he assured her. "Now, listen to Robin, and be safe."

Edward said gently, through the link, [It's gonna be OK, Raven. I've defeated Trigon before, and I'll do it again.] He also nuzzled her for moral support, [Go on, please do as Solor asks.]

With that, Robin took a hold of Raven, and allowed Solor to fly into the sky, taking his place right next to Edward. "Now... where were we?"

"I think we were about to kick some demonic ass", Edward said, snarling as Trigon finally was regaining his sight.

"You will pay for that, insolent whelp", said Trigon, growling. "I will end you all, and there is nothing that can stop me!"

"We'll see about that", Solor said, activating his Blessing. Edward did likewise and said, "Ready, Starborn? Do not hold back anything."

Edward's spinal ridges lit up a brilliant white and as the power grew in intensity, it threatened to burst forth. The glow he got was as bright as if there were three suns instead of one as the air shimmered. He opened his jaw and there was a buildup of high energy plasma, that in the Battle of Lair, he didn't have time to use. Not that it would have mattered then, but, now...Edward let loose a blast that outpowered every single blast he has loosed in his entire life.

Solor unleashed a powerful laser like beam of light that struck Trigon at the same time, staggering the demon hard, weakening him, but, it did not put Trigon down.

Trigon stumbled and crashed into the ruined buildings of downtown Jump City.

Solor's blessing faded, but, he stayed in the air. Edward deactivated his own blessing of the light as he flew at Trigon and grabbed him by the horns and started to slam the demon's head through the streets as his scales indicated he had let his draconic rage go and only Raven, Rachael or maybe one of the Tamaranians would be able to calm him now. Not even Sol or Solor would be able to calm him easily until his rage cooled on it's own.

Edward wasn't even fazed when Trigon's eye beams fired, the beams reflecting off Edward's scales. When Trigon was allowed to try to stand, he was missing a horn and bleeding from many cuts.

"You INJURED ME!" Trigon roared and fired the same weapon that he tried to use against Grand Darkness only to see Edward teleporting out of the way and was struck with Edward's tail from behind.

"Oh, I plan on ending your existence!" Edward snarled.

Trigon flew towards Solor and as Solor struck, so did the Man of Steel, and he was not holding back this time. Terra ripped out a chunk of the earth and formed it into a flying fist that smashed into Trigon when he tried to stand. The impact of that fist removing the other horn.

As the battle raged on, though, a frightened young Raven was clutching onto Robin and as she saw her demonic father trying to defend himself against an enraged Edward, Solor and Superman, her memory came back from what her counterpart kept saying..."Trigon can be hurt...Trigon can be hurt." She shook her head.

"You're starting to remember?" Rachael said, kneeling down to her.

"I know you're frightened, Raven," she said, "I was to when this happened. But, you have the power to banish Trigon. You have to reach deep within yourself, because your powers are still there. You've been cleansed of Trigon's evil and your powers are pure now."

"How do I do that, Big Sis?" little Raven asked.

"You'll know," Rachael said, hugging her now child counterpart, "I didn't know either. It just happened when Trigon was about to kill my friends. I was scared, trying to wake them up when Trigon attacked and my powers came back."

By then, the fight had been going a long time, Trigon refusing to go down and suddenly, he realized that he should go for the soft targets and fired, not at Edward, but, at the Titans!

Before anyone could react, a white dome formed that blocked his attack. Little Raven was glowing white and she looked stunned as her powers reasserted themselves.

"You may have retained a trace of my power, but, even now, your friends lived because I allowed it. Now, I will destroy them, then, you 'Daughter'!" Trigon roared.

In a flash, Raven was back to her adult form and she let loose with her own powers, blasting at Trigon saying "You were never my father!" Trigon roared as he was hit, white tendrils forming.

"Fathers are kind!" Another blast. Edward recognized the lines and readied himself.

"Fathers protect you! Fathers raise you!" Two more blasts as she rose into the air.

"I was protected by the monks of Azarath! I was raised by my friends!" Rachael also remembered this and readied her powers.

"THESE ARE MY FRIENDS! THIS IS MY HOME AND YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE!" She glowed white and she yelled "AZARATH METRION ZINTHOS!" at the same time as Edward and Rachael chanted the same thing...Three beams of magical energy struck Trigon and with a final scream, Trigon the Terrible was banished from the Universe, not to return. Raven's body let out a huge pulse of magical energy that washed over the planet, reverting everything to as it was prior to Trigon's summoning. The skies cleared, the oceans healed, people were unpetrified and even those broken in the fight came back together she made whole

Raven floated down to her friends as Edward's scales reverted to normal, his eyes following a few moments later. He and Solor landed as Raven went to Robin and with a smile hugged him, then, everyone else in turn. When she got to Rachael, though, they could see a tear in Rachael's eyes as she accepted the hug and she whispered, "You're free, little sister."

Solor had gone to his hybrid form as Edward, for the first time in a while, went back to his human size. Raven hugged Solor and thanked him for the rescue.

But, unknown to anyone...Edward had severely overextended himself and as Raven hugged him, he finally collapsed. Solor, thinking quickly grabbed his honor brother and eased him down to the ground.

"What is wrong?" Solor asked.

"He's overused his powers," came a deep voice, "We were afraid of this, Solor."

"What happened, Father?" Solor asked, seeing that his father joined the group.

"He's 3000 year old is what happened," Sol said, brushing Edward's cheek, "He had a high magical resistance to begin with and, well, they are not sticking. He'll probably not have the weapon backlash, but, everything else will fade in the next few hours. He may even lose the Blessing of Light. I'm sorry, Solor."

But, the fight wasn't over yet. Like a video game where one defeats the minor bosses, there was a BIG boss to contend with. And Grand Darkness was the biggest, baddest boss around. A shadow fell across the sun as Grand Darkness arrived and he was FURIOUS!

"After all the work I went through, all of the time and resources spent on this plan... you just had to butt your heads in, didn't you?!" he roared. "Fine then! I don't care if my powers tear my mortal shell apart! I will END ALL OF YOU!" With a mighty roar, Oblaan activated his blessing, and like that, the sky began to go dark. Soon, the sky turned back to blood red, as the apocalypse Darkness wished for began. The clouds swirled around Darkness, as he picked his target. "And the FIRST to die will be YOU, EDWARD BARNES!" With that, he blasted a beam of red light out of his mouth, and Edward was just able to become conscious to see the attack.

_Ohhhhh, shit!_

A Tear opened in front of the group, however, and Death jumped in front of them at the last possible second.

When the light faded, the skeletal dragon was completely petrified, holding his wings wide to prevent the beam from going past him at any point whatsoever. His body fell to the ground, and with a loud thud, made a small crater around it as it landed intact.

"Death! NO!" Sol roared. He got up, activating his blessing. "I will handle this! You all run!"

"No! I cannot leave you!" Solor roared back.

"Don't argue with me, son! How will you protect Kreinyol and Soskrein if you're dead?!" Sol roared. However, before anything else could be said he too was hit by the beam, and petrified.

"FATHER!" Solor roared. One by one, every Titan and superhero was targeted by Darkness, who was firing too fast for even the Flash to dodge. Soon, it was only Starfire, Edward and Solor left, as Darkness seethed in the sky.

"Finally, only three left." He glared at the petrified bodies of Raven and Rachael. "What a worthless granddaughter. I am ashamed that she is my grand daughter."

Edward, of course heard that, and snarled, but could not make a move, since he was still recovering from the drain. Darkness targeted him next, but Solor stood in the way. "Starborn!" Edward roared. "MOVE!"

"NEVER!" Solor said. "I am NOT gonna let you die! I won't let ANYONE die!"

"A bold move, but futile nontheless! I will simply take you BOTH out!" Oblaan took a deep breath, and unleashed a blast, that was moving way too fast for either Edward or Solor to avoid. Solor closed his eyes, bracing for impact.

That was when he felt the connection snap.

Immediately, his eyes opened, and he stared downwards to see the love of his life, Kreinyol, petrified. He gasped, and knelt down, holding her petrified body. "Kreinyol! NO! You can't be! You're gonna be alright! Just say something, PLEASE!"

That was when Darkness began to laugh. "Are you serious? You mated with that mortal scum?! That's rich! I suppose you're soulbound to her now? Or should I say WAS soulbound?" He laughed louder, unaware that Solor was shaking. He let the statue down gently, and glared up at Darkness.

His eyes were pure white now.

"That... is the last... straw..." he said, panting with rage. "You come into MY world, and attack MY family and MY friends... you kidnap and lie and murder just for YOUR gains and YOUR desires. YOU HAD ME RAPED!" He took a step forward, and the force behind it practically formed a crater underneath his foot. "And now... you insult my WIFE. That... that is it. I don't care what I have to do, or say, or kill. I will END you, IF IT EVEN KILLS ME!"

Edward knew from experience that insulting Solor's loved ones was a huge mistake and winced.

"Grand Darkness, you really should not have gone there," Edward muttered.

Solor reactivated his blessing, and from what Edward could tell, it was radiating a LOT more energy than ever recorded. The amount of energy output was making his attempt to save all the aliens in Edward's universe look like child's play. Darkness stared, and Edward could see the one expression that no one could imagine on his face.

He was terrified.

"N-No... that's not possible! You can't have HIS magic!" said Oblaan, his voice quavering.

Solor looked up at Darkness. "I am Starborn", he said, his voice practically otherworldly. "I am descended from the very first Grand Light. And you, Oblaan, First of the Darkness... are past your term. You're impeached!" With that, he began to breathe in, crossing his arms in front of his face. Oblaan, seeing him starting to charge an attack, roared in futile rage, charging his own attack.

A beam of Darkness and Light met each other in the air, as both combatants unleashed their weapons at the same time. The pure, raw energy was generating winds at an almost unreal speed, with Edward forced to hang onto a streetlamp to keep from flying away. The Dragons continued to glare, but Darkness began to panic. His own attack was slowly being pushed back, until the beam of Light was forced into his throat. He roared in pure agony, while Solor pushed the attack to its limit, feeling his own scales starting to peel off as he used this power that he never displayed before. Darkness howled in agony as his body was slowly ripped apart, disintegrating into nothing as the Light washed over him. Finally, there was nothing left, and the attack finally faded away.

Upon Oblaan's death, the rest of the Titans began to return to their fleshy forms, along with the Dragons that he had petrified. Solor was standing still, panting, his eyes bloodshot, blood running down his nose, and scales missing from his draconic form. Slowly, he swayed, and fell, just in time to be caught by both Kreinyol and Sol, who gently laid him on the ground.

"What... the HELL was that?" Edward asked, having witnessed the whole thing.

Sol looked to Edward, and smiled sadly. "Solor's proof of his ancestry." He looked down at Solor, as tears filled his eyes. "After all these years... the war is finally over. The Traitor is dead. But... at what cost?"

Kreinyol could feel the link restoring itself, but it was weak. "He is still alive! Surely he will recover?!"

"What he used was a Primal Blessing", Sol explained, letting the tears fall. "An ancient magic that only the First Circle ever had access to. It... it can bypass the immortality that the leaders' have, as you've probably seen... but at a terrible cost to a normal dragon." He looked at Kreinyol. "I'm sorry... but I do not know if Solor will ever wake up."

Starfire gasped, holding her hands to her mouth. "No... you are LYING!" She rushed forward, hitting Sol's chest with her fists. "He promised me! He promised me he would not die! He promised he would give me a mortal wedding! He PROMISED!" When she couldn't hit Sol anymore, she collapsed, sobbing.

All of the Titans bowed their heads as well, along with many of the Justice League. A powerful ally had been taken down today. Not only a dragon, but a founding member of the Teen Titans. Raven buried her face into Robin's shoulder, beginning to sob, as Terra and Beast Boy held each others' hands, silently letting their own tears fall. Cyborg hit the wall hard, holding back his tears as best as he could as he began cursing to himself, wishing he could have done something to help his friend out.

The one who probably took it the hardest, though, was Edward. He couldn't cry, he couldn't curse, he couldn't speak. All he could do was stare at the now broken form of Solor's body, the shock almost keeping him from breathing. He walked forward, falling to his knees. "You... idiot", he said slowly. "You always have to prove your strength, don't you?" He chuckled, as the first tear fell. "Well... I don't think we're evenly matched anymore, Brother." Rachael joined her husband, placing a hand on his shoulder. He leaned against Rachael and wept.

That was when a voice barely rasped against the wind.

"Well... that... hurt..." came the soft words. Edward gasped, and looked at Solor's face, shocked to see the dragon's eyes were open, though still bloodshot, as he smiled lightly. "Why are... you crying? I told you... I won't let... you die. I... kept my... word."

Edward looked up and said, "Get a gurney...NOW! He's awake!"

To Solor he said, "That you did, Brother. Rest. You've earned it, Heir to the Light. The long war is over, thanks to you."

Kreinyol gasped and when she saw that Edward was telling the truth, she screamed in utter joy!

Beast Boy and Terra looked up and saw Solor looking around and smiled at the scene.

Rocks were covered in a black aura as Raven looked as well, but, when Robin pointed at the rock and whispered, "You really don't have to use the rocks to show your happiness," she lowered them.

The other Titans and Justice League members also rejoiced, celebrating the fact that Solor was alive. Old issues were set aside as Batman and Robin embraced as father and son. the other heroes of the era stepping aside to honor the true heroes of the day as a mood to celebrate came over the entire group. It would be a day remembered for a long time as the various teams realized that whatever happened, they were all one family of superheroes from now on.

A gurney was brought out in a flash, literally as the Flash and Kid Flash brought one out.

Starfire and Sol moved Solor to the gurney and Edward said, "Sleep, brother. Where's the whelp? She deserves to be with her dad."

Solor whispered, "My cave. There's an area that only I knew about." His eyes closed and they took him into the Med Bay.

Edward told Cyborg how to treat Solor and after that, asked everyone to leave, except himself, Cyborg, Sol, Kreinyol and any members of the Circle.

Then, Edward excused himself and went to the roof. Moments later they all heard a victory roar that echoed across the bay and throughout the city.

Sol looked at his daughter-in-law and said, "Come give your father-in-law a hug." She ran over to him and subjected him to a classic Starfire hug...meaning it was a good thing that Sol was quite durable. She sobbed into his shoulder and he stood there, letting her cry her eyes out. He would never say a word about how she dared to strike the Grand Light of the Circle … for he was in his father mode and that meant setting aside, even for a little while, his status.

"I'm sorry for doing the hitting," she said through her tears.

"I understand, Kreinyol," Sol said with a smile, "You do not have to apologize for that. I forgive you."

The other superheroes watched as they bonded and as Edward walked in, Raven walked over and said, "Rage said, 'You did it. You proved me right. And, I am grateful for that.'"

"Raven," Edward said, "You're free now. Explore all the emotions for you have a long life ahead of you. Let yourself blossom into whoever you want to be and, you're not alone any longer. I did this to help you as well to be the person you were meant to be."

Raven shed a tear and Edward wiped it away. Rachael rolled her eyes, but, in Nevermore; Happy was cheering for her counterpart.

Edward broke the hug and walked to Robin and embraced him. They walked sway from the others for some form of privacy.

"Robin, I know your heart is broken over Star and Solor," he said, "Raven will need a guide to her emotions and someone level headed. I think you fit that bill, and, it will help you both. She's going to be the same basic Raven that you know, but, as time goes on, her emotions will come to the surface more and more. That's when she will need someone that she trusts without question to be her rock. That's what I do with my wife: She knows that she can be herself around me and that we keep each other grounded in reality. Your Raven will want someone in her life to keep her from losing it. Her demon side is still there and always will be, and, that is your challenge, Richard."

He looked stunned that Edward knew his identity. Edward explained, "Your counterpart already told me his real name. It is something that I keep as a deep secret in my world. As protected as Fort Knox. I also know Batman's secret identity as well as Superman's. They know that they can trust me with that knowledge and will take that beyond their graves. I trust them with my life in return. Someday, friend, you should entrust your team with the secret as well. You already know your teammates' secret identities due to this crisis and they know that in public, you will still address them by their hero personas."

Robin nodded, "You're right, they should know. But, not with all the others here."

"You'll know when the time is right, Robin," Edward replied, "That time is not now, though."

Edward excused himself one more time by saying, "There is one who is missing and I think it's time you met her. I know Solor would want to do this himself, but, given that he's down for a while, he won't mind."

He headed outside to look at the sky and after morphing teleported to Solor's cave and listened intently. Sure enough, there was a small whimpering sound and he went over to it.

He carefully lifted the baby dragon and he said, "I'm going to take you to see your daddy, Soskrein."

She cooed in response as they left. Edward saw the dragons flying towards him and the other members of the Circle approached.

"Pass the word to all Dragons," Edward said, "THE WAR IS OVER! Starborn, Heir to the Light, has killed Grand Darkness." The resulting sound of Dragons roaring in happiness frightened the whelp and she whimpered in fear. Edward said, "Hush, little Soskrein, they're not going to hurt you."

Needless to say, their would be a victory feast in a few days in Lair and even in the mortal world.

Edward teleported back to the Tower after making sure the baby would stay warm.

He went back to ops and said, "Titans and friends. This is Soskrein, Solor's daughter."

Kreinyol went over and instantly fell in love with the baby, "Say the 'Hello' to your new k'norfka!" she said, hearts in her eyes. She asked, "May I hold her?" Edward smiled and showed her how.

"My son when he was born, looked a lot like this, just smaller," Edward said to the others, "I guess that spell didn't take hybrids into consideration, Sol."

That got a chuckle out of Grand Light, "I think you're right, and, I'm OK with it."

Edward asked, "Where is Grand Death?"

"I am here, Kiinnum," a voice said.

Edward walked over and said, "You saved my life. I am indebted to you and, I wish to honor that by saying that I forgive you for any wrongs against me. You have earned my trust and my friendship. I am humbled to call you 'Brother'."

Sol smiled as he watched Edward make peace with Grand Death and was reminded that the true strength was not a physical one, but, the strength to say "I forgive." He reflected that it was a common theme in the last week, though.

"All right!" Cyborg said, "Who's up for waffles?" That got a laugh out of everyone.

"I could use some," Edward replied, "Lead the way, tin-man."

Kreinyol, however, shook her head. "I must bring our little bumgorf to Husband Solor", she said. "I shall join you shortly." She then left the room, finding her way to the med bay. As soon as Soskrein saw her father in the bed, she actually launched herself from Kreinyol's arms and landed next to Solor, placing her head on his stomach. He patted her, having woken up, despite needing to recover over the next week or so. "Hey, little one. You weren't scared, were you?"

Kreinyol smiled, and walked over. "She is beautiful, my love."

Solor smiled, but it slowly faded. "She is... and she deserves the best. Which I am afraid she will not get here."

"What do you mean?" Kreinyol asked. "She will not have to go to Lair, will she?"

Solor shook his head. "That might be a death sentence for her. Or at least put her through a living hell. Even if the Circle allows her to live, she is still young, and thus, weak. Many dragons will not see her as equal, thanks to bigoted, old traditions. And as much as I hate saying it... I do not think I am ready to be a father."

Kreinyol nodded slowly. "I understand, my love. But... do we have to give her away? To whom would we even do so?"

Solor gave it some thought, and smiled slowly. "Well... I know Edward and Rachael have been trying for a child. Even if they are not related to me by blood... Edward is still family. If anyone could raise her, it would be him." He looked back at Soskrein. "But... I don't want to give her up. And I don't know how Edward will react to her as well. The only child he had is half human. This, while still a hybrid, is a full dragon. She will develop differently from David."

Kreinyol nodded, understanding completely. She slipped into the bed, and motioned for Soskrein to join them. "Whatever you choose, my love", she said, grunting a bit as the baby dragon laid down on her stomach, "I am sure Soskrein will still love you as much as I do."

Solor smiled, and whispered to Kreinyol, "I hope so, my love..." before he slipped back into unconsciousness, still exhausted from the day.

Sol smiled at the scene, watching as the entire family fell asleep in the same large bed. He turned, letting them rest, as he decided to keep the whole interaction a secret. It wasn't his place to say.

It was going to be up to Edward and Solor now.


	15. Fate of Soskrein

**Chapter 15  
[Lair - 1 Month Later]**

After a month of recovering, Solor was finally able to move around again. And of course, he wanted business done and over with, so he contacted his father and Edward, and arranged a meeting. Of course, thanks to Solor's influence, the rest of the Titans were invited to join. After all, this would affect them as well.

Over the month, Soskrein somehow managed to weasel her way into everyone's hearts. Granted, she didn't do much; she just stood by her father faithfully, waiting for him to get better. But whenever another Titan would enter, she'd interact with them a bit. Beast Boy she played with and was amazed at all the animal forms he could do, Terra ended up finding out that she liked the same foods as her, Cyborg was amused by her surprised expression at all the tech that was keeping his body alive. Probably the best ones, though, were Robin and Raven.

When the two came in, Soskrein immediately ran over to Raven, practically knocking her down as she stood on her hind legs so she could look her in the eye. After a few moments, she cooed, and gave her what seemed to be a big hug. Raven was so stunned that the only thing she could do was hug back. Then she let out a squeak as she felt her claws digging a bit into her sides. Robin chuckled at that. "Wait... you're ticklish?" he asked, looking very amused.

"Y-You t-tell anyone and I'll throw you into another dimension", Raven said, blushing madly. The baby dragon finally let her go, looking rather pleased with herself. Solor, meanwhile, just watched and smiled at his friends. "And what are you smiling at?"

"Just glad that you guys are accepting of my daughter", he said. "She's quite adorable, is she not?"

Raven couldn't help but smile. "Yeah... she is." She kneeled down and pat Soskrein on the head, which made the baby dragon coo in response. "Is... is she gonna have powers like mine?"

"I honestly don't know", said Solor. "I mean... a Twilight Dragon is an unprecedented creation. I don't know if she'll have Light, Dark, or both."

"Well, if she does get Dark powers, could I teach her how to use them?" asked Raven. "Without Trigon around, my powers are less based on my emotions. It shouldn't be too hard."

Solor smiled sadly. "I... I would like that." He patted his lap, calling Soskrein back to him. "I'm gonna have to think of a human name for her later... a couple more months and she'll be able to morph into a human."

Robin stepped forward. "How does a dragon child develop?" he asked.

"Well, compared to a human... very quickly." He smiled. "You notice that Soskrein can already walk and run and jump, correct? Her brain is developing much faster than a human child's. It is because of our long lives. Rather than develop our bodies and minds equally, the mind develops at a very young age and the body will take forever since we are so long lived. By the end of the year, she'll be able to talk and understand what people are saying, and have the emotional maturity of a teenager. I will have to teach her how to fly and morph into a human, but that should be a relative easy task."

Robin smiled. "Then I guess we'll get a new member on the team soon." He turned to leave. "I can't wait to see what kind of person she is. I know it isn't much, saying now... but congratulations." With that, he and Raven left Solor, who began to think about his decisions.

Fast forward to today, where the Titans are stepping through the Tear of Oblivion, and getting the shock of their lives. "Holy shit!" Cyborg said, earning a smack from Terra. "OW! What was that for?!"

"Language!" she chastised. "We have a baby with us, remember?"

Cyborg immediately winced. "Sorry, Solor... just... you know, dragons."

"It's okay", Solor said, chuckling. "I'm sure she'll learn eventually, anyway. I'll just have to teach her when it's appropriate."

Edward's Titans got a group chuckle out of watching the native Cyborg being schooled by Terra. They were in their civilian attire, at Edward's request. It was technically a day off for the older Titans and Edward had asked that they go in their civilian clothes to avoid confusion. But, Nightwing refused to shed the mask, something that Edward respected.

After everyone got over what they were looking at the Circle stepped forward. "Greetings, heroes of the mortal world", Fire said, smiling at them. "It is our honor to welcome you to Lair."

"It's our honor to be here", Robin said, smiling. "I don't have any way to tell you how grateful we are."

"The honor is ours," Nightwing responded, "Thank you for inviting us as well."

"You all protected my son, and gave him the strength to fight for something other than himself", Sol said. "That in itself is reason enough for you to be here." He looked at Edward and Rachael and the rest of their team. "And of course, we can't forget about our visitors from another universe. Welcome back, Kiinnum, Ruuvak and the Titans. If you shall follow me, we shall begin this meeting. It is Solor's request that you be here to see it unfold."

Solor bowed his head, morphing into his Dragon form. "Everyone, get on. The center of Lair is a fair distance away; it will take forever for all of you to get there."

"It's all right," Edward encouraged, "It's no different than when Beast Boy gives the non-fliying Titans a ride home. The Titans ride me all the time. Then again, I do not mind giving someone a ride. For you guys, it's an honor seeing how Solor typically doesn't offer. My suggestion is to sit over his wings. That way, in case someone does have a problem, Solor can glide for the time needed to pull the person up. Grab hold of the ridge in front of you and enjoy the flight."

Cyborg, reluctantly, was the first to get onto the dragon's back. Soon, the rest of his team joined him, and Solor took to the sky, waiting patiently for Edward to get his team as well. Soskrein was riding in Solor's claw, so the entire family was there as they took off, flying towards the center. There, they saw the Earth Dragon, waiting for them.

"Holy...", Terra said, catching herself before she cursed. She then noticed the black dragon on the ground. "Um... is that supposed to be there?"

Solor nodded. "Of course. This meeting is to determine the fate of our child after all."

At that, everyone knew who that dragon was, and they weren't looking at her fondly. Vilea could feel them all glaring at her, but she ignored them.

Soon, they were on the ground, where Solor ushered them to the sides of the ruined mountain. "Stay on the side, listen, and for the First's sake, don't say _anything_ unless they talk to you", he said, especially glaring at Beast Boy for that last sentence.

"Why do you always think I'm going to say something stupid?" he asked, glaring.

"Because you do", Raven countered, getting a chuckle out of everyone.

Edward said the same thing to his Titans, adding, "Remember that this is their central government. It's like Congress in some ways. However, they also act as a court of law and also determine where a dragon's standing is within the community. Today's meeting is the latter, but, today is also to determine if Soskrein will be allowed to exist. She is a hybrid of Light and Dark Dragons and, well, I would hope that since they allowed me to live, that they would also allow Soskrein to have a life. If, for some reason, they do not, we will mourn the loss, but, do nothing to interfere. Listen and absorb. Unless a member of the Circle invites your comment, say nothing. They might seem harsh to you guys, not so much to Nightwing, but, this is their land, their rules. We must do as they ask. Even if they say somethings that we do not agree with...say nothing. Raven will remove any Titan that opens their mouth without being asked to speak. Understood?" Nods all around.

"Exalted Circle," Edward said, averting his gaze in respect, "We are prepared."

Solor nodded, signaling that he was ready as well.

"Very well", said Sol. "This meeting of the Circle is to determine the fate of Soskrein, the first Twilight dragon in our midst, and child of Solor and Vilea."

Death looked at the baby dragon, and spoke first. "She is strong. Very strong. No doubt inherited by her father. She will not die for many years. But there is the question of her... mentality."

Life nodded. "She is strong, as my mate says. But we must consider the consequences of each action. Should we let her live, will she fight for justice and the protection of all of the First's creations? Or will she inherit her mother's Darkness, and eventually go mad with power, like her grandfather before her?"

Fire, Earth and Water said nothing. They didn't have enough information to say anything about the baby dragon.

Sol, however, took his turn. "As much as I would like to have faith in my son... I do not recommend raising her in Lair. She will be a handful, even without the Dark influence if she is anything like her father. Therefore... it is my recommendation that Solor allows us to send her to another universe."

"Kiinnum?" Grand Earth said, "What say you? We know that you are not a formal member of the Circle, but, for this proceeding, we would like your opinion as well."

Edward was taken by surprise, but, recovered quickly.

"Soskrein should be allowed to have the same opportunity you all gave me at her age, Exalted Circle," he said, "She will be a strong dragoness as she matures as Grand Death stated. While she is a Twilight dragon, she will have many positive factors in her life. Her father for one, I have learned, fights for what he believes is the right thing to do. He is not the same dragon you banished a few years ago. Soskrein has the Teen Titans to also guide her, or, if she is indeed sent away to my universe, Solor already knows that Raven and I will raise her with love. If she is sent with us, she will have the same positive influences to guide her. Will she fall to Oblann's insanity? Not on my watch, not on Solor's either. I know that much about my brother in arms. However, Exalted Circle, I understand that her fate of life or death rests in your talons. We will respect whatever is decided here today, but, I respectfully ask that she be given the same opportunity you gave me."

The Teen Titans all frowned at what Sol said, but said nothing. Soskrein had won her way into all of their hearts, and it was certainly in effect for Starfire. She had tears in her eyes. She was looking forward to being a k'norfka, and now she was learning that Solor may not have a choice in keeping her or not. Edward's opinion was given some weight by the Circle, but, what Vilea did next was a surprise to all.

Vilea took this opportunity to speak up. "If I may, Exalted Circle?" she said, catching everyone's attention. She walked forward, holding her head high despite all of the growling being thrown her way. She stood beside Sol before she gave her speech.

"You may speak, Heiress to the Darkness," Grand Earth rumbled, "As Soskrein's mother, that is your right."

Vilea said, "Members of the Circle... if there is one thing I know, it's how much darkness is in a person's heart. I know how to manipulate it, make them see what they want to see, hear what they want to hear. I am a master of the mind. But in order to have that kind of power... I have to know how the individual mind works."

She looked down at Soskrein. "I can see already how my daughter will act and how easily tempted she is by power and greed. And I know, without a doubt... that she will fight for what she thinks is right." She smiled. "Soskrein... is not a Dark dragon. Not in the true sense, anyway. As long as she fights for what is right, as taught by her father... she will be a valuable asset to both the Teen Titans and, in her later years, the Circle itself."

The Circle looked at Vilea, then at each other, determining what to do. Eventually, Death spoke up again.

"As this will be my last meeting with all of you... my vote is decided." He gave a small smile to the baby dragon. "I vote that she be allowed to live. We have already allowed one hybrid to live. There is no harm in allowing one more. While Kiinnum is right, Vilea makes sense as well. She has proven all of us wrong in the last month. We should not punish her remaining offspring for her sins, many of which she is atoning for of her own free will."

The rest of the Circle all nodded in agreement. "I believe that is unanimous though, Grand Death. But thank you for stating it", Sol said. He looked at the child. "Now, the question is... what to do with her?"

Earth shook his head, grumbling to get everyone's attention. "That is not our decision to make", he said. "We may be able to suggest or imply what we want... but it is ultimately Starborn's choice on what to do with his daughter." He looked down at Solor. "So, Heir to the Light... what will you do?" Edward nodded at this one. Earth's logic was sound. The other Titans also were pleased to hear that Solor would be allowed to say where his daughter should be raised.

Solor frowned, and looked at his friends first. He could see what they wanted. His team wanted the baby to grow up with them, that much was obvious. Then he looked over to Edward and Rachael. He had spoken to them earlier in the month, and they agreed that they would take care of his daughter, and raise her with nothing but love. Then he looked at the Circle, knowing that they would want him to get rid of her. Finally, he looked at Soskrein, who looked back at him. Then something surprising happened.

"D-Daddy", said Soskrein, smiling at him. "M-My D-Daddy." Both Solor and Edward's jaws dropped, as did many others! Baby dragons didn't even begin to talk until 6-8 months after hatching and Soskrein just spoke her first sentence!

At that, Solor felt his resolve strengthen. He knew right away what to do.

"Esteemed members of the Circle... I have decided what I want to do. And believe me... it was not easy." He then looked at his daughter again. "I have considered raising her here in Lair, but I know it will not be ideal for her. Despite your ruling... many of my kin will want to destroy her. Then I thought about sending her to live with Kiinnum. Having already raised a child, I know he would be a terrific father, and Rachael a wonderful mother. But now... I know my heart will not take it." He looked back at the Circle, glaring. "She is mine. I will not give her up, to you or anyone else. I will raise her myself. And I dare any of you to try to take her."

Granted, his words were rather inappropriate, but the Circle all understood. They were all parents, and one's love for their child was one of the most powerful things in the world. "Very well", said Sol. "If that is your wish... then Soskrein will be left in your care, under protection of the Circle."

Edward piped up and said, "Exalted Circle, by your leave, I would also place Soskrein under my personal protection, if Starborn will also allow it. I consider this baby to be part of my family already, a fact that my Rachael is aware of, and, I know that despite what is ruled here, that prejudices are hard to eliminate and that Soskrein will face a lifetime of being considered to be a half-breed and looked down upon, no matter how strong she will eventually be. This way, any dragon that messes with her, messes with me and will not be tolerated. I may have lost my enhanced abilities, but, that doesn't affect my base abilities that Golmul and others have recognized. Thank you."

There wasn't any objection voiced, so, Edward nodded and stepped aside, his job on one hand done, but, on the other hand, just beginning.

"This concludes the meeting of the Circle", Earth said, smiling. "Welcome our new sister, children of the First! Soskrein of the Twilight!"

[I think Solor has made the best decision possible,] Edward said to Rachael.

[Soskrein has melted his heart, that's for certain. I think he'll make a great father,] Rachael replied, {He has a great mentor as well.]

[The path will not be an easy one,] Edward replied, [Even if she's under the direct protection of the Circle, she is still a Twilight dragon and there will be older Dragons who will not accept her. She'll be an outcast even in Lair and for a while, will not understand why. But, she's got allies in two universes who will treat her fairly and protect her. Once Solor is able to take his rightful place within the Circle, no one will dare mess with her without facing the charge of treason.]

[She's going to be a handful,] Rachael said, [I hope Solor is really ready for this.]

[Have faith, dear,] Edward said, [I think that with all of her mortal aunts and uncles, Solor will have all the help and morale support any human or dragon can ask for. Kreinyol will be a great surrogate mom, and, I think that Vilea is really wanting to help mend a lot of the damage. The Circle isn't complete without Darkness there, and, when Vilea is allowed to sit in on more meetings of the Circle as a spectator, it will help the younger Dark Dragons to be part of Lair. Their Nightwing will be a huge help. He's seen first hand that we Light dragons are willing to be merciful. I still feel bad because I allowed him to get into my head, but, he's forgiven me and accepted my apology. But, I feel worse for taking the life of that one whelp.]

[Edward,] Raven said, piping up, [You need to forgive yourself for that. It was war and sometimes innocent folks are killed. Solor isn't going to fault you or blame you for the death of the one whelp. It couldn't be helped. The baby would have been used to summon Trigon regardless. And, to be honest, Solor will need to have someone to care for and fight for besides us.]

[War doesn't mean having to kill a non-combatant, though. Not all the time,] Edward objected, [But, War does claim innocent lives regardless of how I feel about it.]

[I take it you did not agree with how World War II ended?] Rachael asked.

[Not really,] Edward replied, [But, there wasn't anything I could do. I had taken an oath to obey the orders of the Commander-in-Chief same as with all the members of the military. President Truman ordered that those devices be dropped. My objections would have been disregarded.]

At that, every Titan began to cheer, and most of the dragons roared their approval. Solor's teammates ran over, hugging both Solor and Soskrein as they cheered. Edward walked over as well, offering his own congratulations.

Finally, Vilea stepped forward, and everyone stopped cheering to glare at her. Solor walked forward, and surprisingly, bowed his head. "Thank you for your words, Vilea. I do not know if the Circle would have allowed me to keep her if you hadn't spoken up. It will take me some time to forgive you, but, you're on your way towards getting that."

Vilea shook her head. "No... thank you for keeping my daughter safe." She turned around. "I have a lot of work to do... finding Dark Dragons that are willing to rejoin Lair, punishing the ones that are still loyal to my father... and regaining trust. I don't have time to raise her myself. So... Starfire?" The Tamaranian nodded, albeit confused that Vilea knew her English name. "Treat her with love. She may not be yours... but I know you already love her as if she was." With that, Vilea took off, flying away from the group as she began to prepare to make the world better.

Edward took off after her, surprising the others. He caught up and said to her, "Vilea, I find what you did to my brother to be reprehensible. However, if there is to be trust...there is also to be forgiveness. That said, I offer you my forgiveness. To help the healing process. You have a long way to go, but, given time, and, you have all the time in the world, I have faith in you, because I see that you want to change. Your words to the Circle swayed them and showed your inner strength. May the First, who created all, Bless your work and May He forgive you your sins." He went to far as to place his talons on her head, not to harm, but, to show his sincerity. He figured if Jinx in his universe and Kitten in this one could be flipped, then, Vilea deserved her chance.

"Also, please give my condolences to those who lost family in this war."

She said, "I do not deserve this, Kiinnum. I deserved the same fate as my father. I raped your brother."

"I know that, Vilea. What's done is done and cannot be changed. However, that is the beauty of forgiveness...It is not deserved, yet, one of the gifts of the First: To give that regardless. To say, 'I Forgive you' is a sign of true strength. Sol will be monitoring your progress as I understand. Just don't let him down, Heiress to the Darkness. Work on your redemption. Starborn, I think, will help you and, I will as well. Ask him if you can use the communicators that can talk to my universe and, I will gladly offer advice or suggestions. If need be, I will return to help you convince your charges. For now, please continue your mission. Good luck!"

Edward turned around and looked on as she flew away, but, there was something else he had arranged. He landed again.

"Members of the Circle," he called out, "Before you leave, there is something that has been bugging me since the final acts of the War have played out.

"I have discussed it with both Terras and they have agreed to do something to show our appreciation for the alliance between Dragons and humanity.

"Ladies, if you would be so kind."

As the Circle watched in amazement, both Terras bodies started to glow brightly and the demolished volcano that Grand Earth destroyed was restored to its pristine condition, with one exception: A way for Grand Earth to come and go as he pleased.

Grand Earth said, "By the First! The Earth bends to these Titans will!"

Solor smirked and said, "These two have an incredible power, that's for sure."

Sol said, "My initial opinion of these humans was underestimated badly. This is by anyone's standards simply amazing. Thank you."

"Why did you do this, though?" Life asked.

"Because it was necessary to thank you folks for taking that leap of faith that I took in 1751 in my history with the people I trusted...and in 1889 with the world in general," Edward said.

Life walked forward, smiling. "Then... it is our turn to thank you. And bless you one last time, with both knowledge and a gift from us. The knowledge is, unfortunately, not as happy as we would like. Unfortunately, according to Grand Light, you are no longer able to access our gifts to you."

"Your strength has returned to its weakened state", said Earth.

"Your fire does not burn so bright", Fire stated.

"Ice will not stay as cold", Water mused.

"You have even lost your ability to use the Blessing of Light", said Sol. "Unfortunately, we had an inkling that this would happen. Since you are over 3000 years old, then your resistance to our magic is possibly at an all time high, and it will be impossible for us to bless you with any new magic for more than possibly a month."

Death, however, looked smugly at Edward. "That does not mean that you cannot have an enchantment _removed _from you."

Edward put his hand to his forehead, pinching the bridge of his nose. "To be honest, I don't really miss that. My weapons are just as potent as they were two months ago. The backlash isn't there, and that's what counts. It's the power of a god that I did not want, and the First knew that. But, I swear, if there's another ceremony that I have to go through, I'm going to go on a rampage."

Life laughed, and shook her head. "Not anything as dramatic as restoring your weapons, I assure you. Just... hold still." She turned to the Titans. "You may want to step back a bit."

Once all of the Titans moved back, Life looked at Edward. Her eyes began glowing a bright green, and she opened her mouth, letting out a low song in her own language. Edward couldn't pick up what she was saying, because his focus was on her eyes. Slowly, he began to glow, and what seemed to be a shadow was expelled from his body. As soon as she started, Life was done, and her eyes went back to normal.

"There. It is done", she said, smiling softly.

"Um... not that I'm ungrateful, but what did you do?" Edward asked.

"She removed one of my enchantments", Death said, smiling. "You know of the reason why we enforced the Breed Traitor law... well, you are now exempt from that law altogether."

Edward raised an eyebrow, not understanding.

"I've taken away the curse that makes Dragons incompatible with humans", Life simplified, shaking her head.

"You mean that Raven and I can ... " Edward said, realization dawning.

"You and her may become parents," Sol said, "We met a while ago and it was decided that because you led the final charge against Darkness that, we would make a formal exemption to the law that we repealed...To honor you, and to thank you. We might not be able to restore our gifts to you for a while, that is if you want the enhanced powers back, but, they will last far less than they do now if we did. You are still as powerful as you were before this started, and, we hope that you will not suffer the backlash you once did."

The Titans and Teen Titans cheered for their friends, knowing that Edward might have lost his enhanced abilities, but, they gave him something worth more than his weight in gold.

In fact, he was floored into speechlessness, so Rachael spoke for him and said, "Thank you, Exalted Circle, you honor us."

"If you do not mind a question: What will happen to Vilea?" Robin asked, curious.

"She will have to earn our trust... but she has already spoken highly of us", said Earth. "She has complied to everything we have requested thus far. And while she and Vulonviing are prisoners... they both are slowly earning their rightful place in Lair. With Oblaan the Traitor gone, it is now Vilea who shall become the Grand Darkness. And perhaps, for the first time in millions of years, the Circle will be complete."

"You mean you are considering allowing Darkness to rejoin Lair?" asked Solor. "There are going to be many dragons that will be unhappy with that. The war is only recently over. Many casualties were had, and many families will be distraught."

"Starborn, my brother," Edward said gently, "I have forgiven her. That's why I took off after her. She is working on her own path of redemption now, and she will need help and guidance. Your redemption only took a couple of years. Hers may take decades or centuries, but, keep her on the path. I offered to also help her, despite her crimes. So if she shows up at the Tower wanting to seek my advice ... "

Starborn nodded, "I will try, brother. But, my objection is still valid. I still cannot forgive her for everything."

"Brother," Edward replied, "I have seen Vilea's change of heart. You flipped Kitten and got her started on the redemption path. Vilea is just as deserving of her opportunity as Kitten is. I talked to Kitten at the Tower and saw for myself her sincerity. Please, try to be forgiving of Vilea as well. We all saw her make a huge positive step in the meeting. She honored you with keeping Soskrein and with her blessing to raise her. Hell, she's going to be a beautiful young dragoness someday. You're going to have to keep an eye on her as younger dragons will want her, and, depending on her human form, young teenage boys as well. I suggest a sturdy baseball bat." Edward chuckled at Solor's puzzled face.

"That is why we shall wait... until the next naming of the Circle", said Fire. "Once all of us have claimed an heir, and passed on our titles, we shall ask our children to reinstate Darkness into our ranks. But only if this progress continues. I myself have not found an heir yet, seeing as I am the youngest of the Circle, and neither has my Honor Sister, Water."

Water smiled. "Give it time, Brother. We shall find worthy dragons to be heirs in no time. Give it a couple hundred years. I am sure your children will have a fire that burns greatly in their hearts."

"I know," Fire said. He already had an idea who to ask to be his heir. The problem would be getting this dragon to want to devote time between two universes.

Solor smiled, and then looked over at Kreinyol. He remembered something, and whispered to his father. Sol listened for a moment, then his eyes widened, and he coughed. "Um... actually, speaking of heirs... I have a gift for my son." He then smiled knowingly. He morphed to his half human form, and gave Solor (also in hybrid form) something that he had clenched in his fist. Once Solor had it, he turned to Kreinyol, and surprisingly, pulled her close.

"Kreinyol, my love... I believe I made a promise to you." He opened his hand, and Kreinyol gasped as she saw the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. In the center was a diamond cut to the perfect angles, and surrounding it were gems of every color. It reminded her of not only the Circle, but of her friends as well. Tears were welling up in her eyes as Solor got on one knee. "My love... will you marry me?"

Silently, Kreinyol nodded, the tears threatening to fall. She allowed him to take her hand, and slide the ring onto her finger, finding that it fit perfectly. She then laughed as Soskrein jumped into her arms, licking her face. "Mommy!" the baby dragon called out, smiling happily.

"BOOYA!" was heard in stereo as both Cyborgs shouted happily. That was followed by every single Titan from both universes clapping Solor on the back in celebration and Starfire and Kreinyol hugged.

"Edward..." Solor said, "I believe that there is a custom called the 'Best Man'?"

"Brother, it would be my distinct pleasure and honor to be your Best Man," Edward replied.

"Friend Rachael..." Kreinyol started to say.

"No need to ask," she said, "I would also be honored to be your maid of honor, as long as Raven shares that honor."

There would be a wedding in the future, and, it would take time and a lot of trust building, but, Darkness would eventually be allowed back into the fold. That definitely made Edward happy as well. Then again, it made everyone happy, even if, eventually, Edward and Raven were the only ones left of the Titans (in his universe) to see that day and, of course, Solor and his wife.

"Solor and Starfire," Edward said, "You both are invited at anytime to visit our home, wherever we end up, and this invitation shall never be withdrawn. And, I would love to see our niece as well. She is always welcome to cross our threshold."

"You have certainly earned being Soskrein's uncle and aunt," Solor said, "and, we will take you up on that offer."

Soskrien looked at Edward and said, "Unca Kiinnum?"

Edward smiled and held out his arms and the baby dragon jumped into them and licked his face. That got a laugh out of him.

"Hey, I love you, too," he said chuckling and rubbing her head gently. She looked at Rachael and went to lick her and Rachael said, "Don't even think about it." She tried to look stern, but, the small smile betrayed her feelings.

[What's a matter, dear?] he asked privately, [It's not like space dog drool.]

[Hush, you,] she replied.

Even Grand Death looked amused at the entire thing, and smiled. He had earned Edward's trust, despite things that had happened. But, he was also saddened that when his heir was elevated to the Circle, he would eventually join the First. He had regained his honor in Solor's eyes as well with his sacrifice, a fact that acknowledged when Solor, finally apologized to him for what happened. Death looked at Solor and knew that he was apologizing from the heart. So, Grand Death said, "Starborn, I have waited a long time for you to say that, and, I have waited to say this, You are pardoned in my eyes, and forgiven. Your attack upon me is hereby forgotten. You have likewise earned my respect. You have atoned for your sins and as far as I am concerned, you are truly the Heir to the Light."

Solor did not want or expect Grand Death to apologize for almost killing him, though. Grand Death was still a proud dragon, but, not proud of his actions. Deep down, though, Solor wanted to give Grand Death more than the respect that is required...so, he did not desire Grand Death to kiss up. He would join the First soon, and would be mourned by all.

"Thank you, Grand Death. You honor me with your words, and I forgive you as well", he said. "And for now, while you live, I will honor your words. When your time comes, I will lead the sending song with more power than I've ever put into a song."

"Save that for your family", Death said, smiling. "You will need the strength when it is your father's turn. I do appreciate the thought, though." Death turned. "Now... I believe you have a mortal realm to protect, do you not?"

Solor nodded, smiling. "Indeed. As much as I would like to spend more time here... it is time I returned home." He turned to his Raven. "Sister, if you don't mind?"

"Of course", she said, smiling. While she didn't expect him to say it out in the open, she definitely liked being called his sister. After a brief chant, she opened a tear, and both teams headed back to Titan's Tower, where they would begin planning for their day and the Titans from Edward's universe headed home later that day.

**[Unknown Location]**

In an underground lair, many screens were playing with all sorts of scenes. All of them involved combat, from the beginning to the end of the recent war. Solor and his team were all under careful scrutiny, and a gloved hand landed on a white book. A low chuckle filled the air, as an orange mask shone in the only beam of light in the place.

"It's good to be back."

**[Epilogue]  
[Titan's Tower - Two months later]**

_Solor, Heir to the Light writes ..._

_Darkness is defeated at last. After millions of years, Oblann is dead and the celebration in Lair was intense from what I understand. The Circle, while I was recovering, voted and they had no objection to fully restoring my title and honor. In fact, they had the formal naming ceremony all over again once I recovered. Grand Death is training his heir how to use the Blessing and how powerful it is, but, he has stepped aside informally, allowing his heir to be part of the Circle. Once the heir is fully trained in his duties as Grand Death, the current one will formally pass his title and powers on.  
_

_Soskrein is growing at a good rate and everyone adores her as much as I do. She's going to be a handful in later years, but, she's got good teachers to help her as she develops. Between myself and my Titans, Edward's made it well known throughout Lair that he will not tolerate any discrimination towards her because of her heritage. Between us, Soskrein's got a better future, and, Edward will be my role model for parenthood. Then again, in Edward's absence, all dragons know that she is under protection of the Circle as well, which means several specific laws and rules apply. Some dragons are understandably on the fence, as the mortals say, regarding Soskrein's heritage. I don't blame them. There are many "bigoted old ones" left in Lair who cannot fully accept that there is a Twilight dragon in existence and wonder how she will turn out. According to Edward, his friend from the past had a granddaughter who was infected by darkness from birth and their efforts to keep this girl from falling to evil failed. It was one of Edward's rare failures as well. But, he knows that failure is a part of life regardless. He's certainly proven to be a good mentor and will be a great godfather to my baby girl.  
_

_Edward and his Raven returned to their home to keep protecting Jump City but, even they have loved my baby girl from the beginning ... and they just called with some good news: Ruuvak is pregnant! He's also reported that his mother is doing pretty good and recovering some of her strength. He doesn't think she'll recover 100% of her strength, given her age, but, he is fine with that. They have become quite close, looks like. She still doesn't fully trust the humans and stays in the Tower most of the time and Edward's not willing to push the issue. But, Edward is also ready for when it is her time to come home to Lair to join the First. I dread that day as much as when my mother joined the First. I've not seen my brother mourning a loved one, but, he knows that we'll all be there for him. I have already picked out a possible burial spot in the graveyard for him, just in case, and I will sing the sending song, as Edward doesn't know it. He knows a different sending song from a mortal friend of his, though. He has requested that should Slade cross our paths again, that his ass belongs to Edward. He's not forgiving him for possessing Rachael. And, with Nightmare in custody, Edward's made it quite clear: Nightmare deserves death for possessing Raven and harming his wife. That's where Edward draws the line at forgiveness.  
_

_Vilea is progressing much better than I would have thought. I think something changed within her after she was captured by Edward. From what I understand, Edward begged my father not to kill Soskrein, having felt guilty about killing the first whelp. Edward doesn't like having to kill and I think this was the first time he's killed an infant. It showed Vilea that he does have a conscience and, I think it awakened hers. She's showing that she is not as insane as we thought, and for Edward to forgive her touched her heart. I am finding it harder to hate her for what she did to me because she is actually actively working on getting her clan back into Lair, and that she made the right, but, difficult call to entrust Soskrein to my care. She's contacted Edward a few times, asking his advice on how to deal with some members of Darkness who are not accepting that she is, for all intents and purposes, the new Grand Darkness. The older ones are giving her a hard time, while the younger ones are willing to give reconciliation a chance. She's got a good partner, though. The other Nightwing is open about his treatment he got in Lair, from my having to overcome his resistance, to Edward's brutal attack and Edward's apology and healing of his wounds through how the Circle determined that his cooperation ultimately spared his life and allowed him to be released on indefinite parole. He is actually learning that whatever Oblaan told them about us was wrong. A lesson Vilea is also learning, to be honest. Someday, both will make fine additions to Lair, I think.  
_

_But, I am slowly coming to forgive her. Looking at my baby girl doesn't remind me of how she was conceived; it reminds me that she is as much a child of the First as anyone of us. The love Soskrein displays towards all of us is pure and unconditional. I know that someday, she will ask why she's the only Twilight dragon, and I will tell her the truth. She will take the news hard at first, but, she'll have such a strong support system in both Universes that she will never lack for a shoulder to cry on._

The End ... For Now.


End file.
